Evolution of Colors
by Bang Rowdyruff
Summary: "We fought for so long. So similar yet so different. But now we live together in a world of peace. We Octarian and Inklings are now...friends. But I can see it. Our errors. Our flaws. But it is alright. I...We can fix it. We can help build, a more stable world. A world better than how it is now. A world that is truly...Perfect. (Title subject to change. Sequel to Octo Colors)
1. A Special Day

"I can't believe this is happening..."

"Well, believe it. It's happening,"

"But I don't want it to!"

"Uuuuuggggggh,"

"It feels like just last week you were still a fuchsia little stage four, struggling to maintain your form," There was a loud groan along with a few chuckles.

"That's because it was last week,"

"Well it feels like it was such a long time ago..." More groans.

"Now now Cereza. Don't tease your brother too much," Cereza turned towards her mother with a smile. She wrapped an arm around her brother's neck, who rolled his eyes and let out a sigh.

"Luca knows I love him. Isn't that right little brother?" Luca merely let out yet another groan at his sister's antics. Seriously, at this rate he was going to end up lose his voice by the sheer amount of groaning he was doing.

"Can you please stop Cereza? It's embarrassing. People are looking at us funny," Cereza let out another chuckle, still clinging to her little brother.

"You're going to get used to it,"

"I hate to say it but she's right you know," A male voice responded. Luca didn't groan or sigh this time. He had already accepted that his very existence would be a choice of topic. After all he was the second hybrid between an Octoling and an Inkling.

Granted his sister was the first and second place doesn't get that much recognition, but this was sorta kinda a big deal. Ever since the Octarian and Inkling truce twenty plus years ago, the two races have of course grown closer, with a few bumps here and there. Even in the plaza they were in, the two races mingled and coexisted. Most of whom were a bit on the younger side, but the kinship was still there. Octarians even found out how to change colors like the Inklings could. There were even other couples like his parents that consisted of an Octarian and an Inkling.

Unlike his parents how ever, most of these couples had to adopt. They couldn't produce their own children, which made his sister and his existences even more special. He honestly didn't care to think about it too much. But that was probably because it made him the center of attention. He wasn't too fond of the spotlight.

But it seemed that his life would be spent in it. Curious eyes would forever glance over them and he would have to accept that. But what set them apart from the "average" Inklings and Octolings? What made it obvious that they were hybrids? Well, his sister took after their mother. She resembled an Octoling more so an Inkling, with four, thick fuchsia tentacles on her head with a few suckers on each. What set her apart were the length of those tentacles and the color of the markings around her eyes.

Her tentacles for one were longer, reaching about the same length as a female Inkling, though they didn't seem quite that long considering they naturally curled around like an Octoling's. The second difference related to the eye markings Octarians had. Though most Octarians had purple markings, Cereza had a bright green, similar to her mom's eye color.

Currently his sister was wearing a Squid Girl outfit minus the hat. She instead chose to wear some fake contacts instead, considering her personal hatred of headwear. Which no one would guess considering how often she visits Cooler Heads. Luca himself was wearing a Layered Anchor Ls with Red Seahorses. Along with a small blush and a scowl for his sister.

"So are you excited Luca?" Luca looked up at the older male. Unlike the large majority of males in the plaza, this one let his turquoise tentacles hang freely over his shoulders. Bright purple eyes looked down at his son with an expecting smile. Over his shoulder sat a E-Liter Scope while his free hand rested in the pocket of his Inky Rider.

"A little. Along with a little bit nervous," His father laughed and ruffled his tentacles with his free hand.

"That's to be expected. Everyone is a little nervous during their first Turf War," Luca smiled at his father and turned forward again. He wasn't nervous towards the Turf War, but more so towards his opponents. As in their safety. He was a complete noob yes, and had never held a gun of any kind until about three days ago, but he was pretty much among legends.

His dad, Leviathan "Inkay" Squiliam, who defeated all of the Octarian machinery, then the tyrant Octavio, on his own,and then led the charge that defeated Octavio for good and reunited the races. Sure he had a bit of help from other Inklings, and a lot of help from his wife, but that's besides the point.

Speaking of Inkay's wife, Luca glanced over towards his mother. Cerata Entero Squiliam. She wore the standard Octoling gear with an Octarian clip on her tentacles instead of the goggles. She looked down at her son and gave him a loving smile. His mother had a smile that could melt glaciers. When she smiled, he couldn't resist smiling a bit himself. But wheres there's a yin, there's a yang.

Luca's eyes traveled to the Custom Blaster she let casually hang in her hand. He saw his mother angry and he did not want to be staring down the barrel of anything she pointed at him when she narrowed her eyes.

"So if anything, what are you expecting to get out of your first Turf War little brother?" Cereza said finally letting go of him to stand straight on her own, much to his comfort. Luca looked at the ground and shrugged.

"I don't know. New friends maybe?" Luca glanced over the Splattershot Jr. in his hands and continued walking.

"Well you'll have to save that for later. First match goes to your family, and seldom do people befriend people on the opposing team," His mother gently informed him.

"Yeah. They get too salty," his sister added on with a smile while she spun her Carbon Roller between he hands. Honestly he would be salty too depending on how bad he lost. But at least he got this first win. He was sure his family could hold their own with or without him. He took a deep breath as they approached the Turf War lobby, running a hand over his tentacles, a habit he got from his dad.

He was secretly proud of his tentacles. Like his sister, they were one of the two features that separated him from the crowd. He took more after his father, with the standard male Inkling length tentacles. He wore them up like the usual male Inkling, but he required a bigger band. His two main tentacles were of average size, but the four on the back of his head, usually gone unnoticed on Inklings were just a bit smaller than the main two, sporting their own suckers and everything.

The second difference was not as out there as his sister's. The black mask that sat on the faces of all Inklings was green on his face. Though a very very dark green. You'd have to be really close to see it. But he really didn't care for people getting that close so he wouldn't be pointing that out.

But finally they reached the tower, Luca leading the ascent up the stairs. They reached the top and a familiar face greeted them. Cereza smiled and ran forward, practically bouncing.

"Mr. Apalo sir!" Cereza ran to the old Octoling as he stood up and bowed, her curtsying upon reaching him.

"My fair Cereza. As energetic as always I see," He commented. Cereza giggled as the rest of her family approached. Apalo was wearing a dark blue suit and tie and had his tentacles slicked back and a tired look in his bright red eyes. "And this must be young Luca. I see a calculating look in your eyes young man. And such abundant tentacles," Apalo chuckled and Luca blushed a bit. Did everyone get teased this much when they learned to hold their form? Or was it just him?

He'd met this man plenty of times before, and each time he felt more and more uneasy around him. Like right now for example. He had this tired look in his eye but at the same time it was like a predator eyeing cornered prey. It was unsettling.

"Have another big meeting today Apalo?" Cerata asked her superior. Apalo let out a large sigh and ran his hand over his head.

"Too many. But what's needed for peace. I've grown to like what we've managed so I'll try my best to keep it alive," Inkay nodded approvingly at the male Octoling. "But for now I'll treat Luca like I did Cereza, and not miss out on his first Turf War.

"Thank you sir..."

"Well I don't wanna keep you. You run along and have some fun," The group nodded and waved their goodbyes as they entered the building. Luca's eyes widened a bit as he looked around. It looked like everything was flashing one color or another in this large circular room. There were doors towards the left and the right that seemed to just disappear into the darkness.

In the center of the room was a desk, which Luca's mom and dad walked towards. His sister stayed behind to nudge him in the side. He turned towards her as she gave him a raised eye brow and a smirk.

"Come on bro. If you're in awe at the lobby, how are you going to handle the actual Turf War?" Luca simply did his best to neutralize his expression and put on a bored face. He shrugged his shoulders and followed his parents towards the desk.

"One squad registration please. Turf War," The Octarian sitting at the desk took the headphones from over his head and placed them to the side.

"Who all will be participating?" Inkay gestured to his family and the Octarian nodded. He turned to his computer and typed in a few things. "You are aware that since your group is consisted mostly of people closer to level 50 than level 20, that you will be placed in the intermediate category, even with the new player," Inkay nodded with a smile and glanced over to Luca.

"I think he can take it," Luca looked down to his weapon and gripped it a little tighter.

"Alright then. Your room will be down that hall. Room 129. Your respawn bracelets should be in there as well as a screen that will tell you when your match is ready," Inkay thanked the man and they headed down towards the door he pointed to.

By the time they had reached their room their match had already filled up. A Turf War at Ancho-V Games. Luca was a bit excited. He loved Ancho-V Games, and now here he was preparing to get to run through their main building! Sure he couldn't really focus on anything, but maybe he'll get a passing glance of some new game.

"Alright squirt. Let's head to the warp zone," Inkay called handing Luca his bracelet. Luca took the accessory and looked it over. So this was the thing that reverted death? How could that be? Surely there was some serious mechanics in this little thing and even more to the warp pad it was connected to. Was there a right and wrong way to put it on? If it malfunctioned did he die permanently?

Suddenly the nervousness greatly outweighed the excitement. And this time it wasn't for the other team. He placed the bracelet around his wrist and stared at it. A small light on it blinked a few times and turned a dark shade of fuchsia. It then tightened around his wrist. Like, very tightly. He shook his hand just to make sure his circulation still flowed.

"Come on Luca! We're already late!" Cereza's voice called from the doorway. Luca looked up at her and nodded, swallowing his fear the best he could. He followed his family towards the device that would take them to Ancho-V games. The device started out a dim color but lit up into a bright green. Luca looked at the device as the rest of his family stepped on top of it. He took a cautious step after them, filling the last position on the machine.

"This is it. Get ready," Inkay smiled back at his son, who nodded and did his best to swallow his fears. The group transformed and were warped to their destination. Upon reaching it, Luca's eyes widened as he looked around. He could see Jellyfish and Inklings all working far below them and in little cubicles. Wanting to get a closer look, he prepared to step off the spawn point.

"Whoa there Luke," Cerata said grabbing her son by his arm sleeve. "If you step out of the spawn point before the match begins we'll be disqualified," Luca returned to his previous position and nodded. He looked forward and in the distance, he saw the enemy team, specks of bright pink most likely eyeing him like he did them. He looked over his family and noticed their tentacles were a bright green. He glanced down at his bracelet and noticed it was the same shade of green. He swallowed again as he looked up. This was it. The moment was finally here.

There was a loud _bang_ and colors started flying. Inkay shot a large line of ink forward and immediately jumped into it, swimming forward. Cerata followed but instead spread as much ink as she could with her blaster as she advanced. Cereza began inking the area to the side of the spawn point. Luca froze for a second before joining the charge forward. He inked the nooks and crannies his parents missed and jumped down from the elevated platform. He inked a bit before Cereza jumped down with him.

"Hey little bro! Ink that area! I'm gonna go this way!" She called out. Luca nodded and began inking the area his parents didn't. Once he completed covering the area in green, he moved towards the center of the map. Looking down over it, he saw his father in the distance, sniping poor squid kids from the elevated platform. His sister was in the far distance, covering pink with green a bit away from the action, while his mother charged in head first, being supported by Inkay from a distance.

Luca was once again, a bit pitiful of the opposing team and a bit prideful of his family. In the time it took him to ink one small area, they had pretty much taken over the middle of the map. He had a lot of catching up to do. Gripping his weapon, he jumped from the platform to the ground below. As he descended, he noticed, just slightly, the pink ink move. Right as he was about to land, an Inkling emerged from the ink, a Dynamo Roller raised over her head.

Luca's eyes widen as he looked upon the opponent. The ground beneath him suddenly rose, blocking the ink that should have splatted him. Looking over his shoulder, he noticed his father, E-liter pointed towards the fan on the platform that Luca stood on. Inkay returned his sights to the battlefield while Luca silently cursed himself for being so careless. Should've looked before he leaped.

He backpedaled away from the edge and pointed his weapon towards it just as the Inkling climbed over. Luca fired his weapon at the Inkling, who used his roller to block some of the shots. Jumping to the side, the Inkling rose his roller and brought it down. Luca quickly jumped behind the fan, using it as a makeshift cover. It blocked some of the ink but some still got on him.

The Inkling shook his roller towards Luca again, the ink hitting the fan and keeping the platform raised. Waiting until a spray of ink flew over his head, Luca pulled out a Splat Bomb and gently rolled it around the fan. The Inkling stepped back for a moment and took the opportunity to round around the fan and shooting towards the Inkling. Retreat cut off, the Inkling threw his roller towards Luca again as the Splat Bomb went off. Luca's eyes widened as a wave of pink flew towards him and consumed his sight. He felt this large sting before a feeling of weightlessness.

He blinked a few times and opened his to see that he was floating away from the ground, a pink squid floating up across from him. Was he dead? Was this what death felt like? He tried to move anything but he felt nothing. Like he didn't really exist. His eyesight slowly grew dark. Did his bracelet malfunction? Luca began to panic as it felt like he was being sucked somewhere.

Luca emerged from the spawn point with a loud gasp of air, immediately falling to his knees. He breathed heavily as he looked around. Was that going to happen every time he got splatted? Ugh that was not a pleasant feeling. Regardless, Luca grabbed his weapon and stood back up, heading back to the front line.

Luca's lungs burned as he ran around. How could people do this all day? He was tired and his limbs screamed at him. This was the first match and he felt like he could collapse at any time. Glancing at his family they seemed relatively fine. His dad of course not really counting since he only took small sprints to better sniping spots.

His family had actually pushed the other team back into their base, but a well placed Dynamo swing splatted his mom and sister. The opposing team began a push while he and his father back up a bit as to keep them from truly advancing. They were once again in the middle of the field, ink seeming to be pretty even.

He had just been splatted for the fifth time and was rushing back to the action with only half a minute left. He jumped beside his mother, her giving him a smile as he spread ink and she kept enemies way with her blast radius. Just a few more seconds and the game would be over. Glancing over, Luca saw another Inkling with a roller approaching his sister from the platform above.

"Sis look out!" Luca cried rushing towards his sibling. Cereza stopped rolling and looked towards Luca before over her. The roller jumped down with her weapon over her head. Luca jumped towards his sister and pressed the button on his ink tank. A green bubble encased his body and he slammed his shoulder into his sister's. A bubble encased her as well as the roller bounced off harmlessly, the owner letting out a curse. Cereza smirked as Luca began inking the area beneath the Inkling's feet while Cereza threw a seeker towards her retreating form.

The bomb followed the Inkling as she attempted to flee but she was splatted right as a loud whistle rang throughout the area. Everyone stopped and looked towards a certain area. Confused, Luca followed their line of sight and saw Judd standing on a wall in the far distance. He looked over the Turf zone silently before slowly reaching behind his back with both hands. He suddenly held out a green flag, holding it towards Luca's family's side.

They of course celebrated while the other team groaned in defeat. Judd disappeared behind the wall and the two groups headed towards their respective spawn points and exited the area.

"Thanks for the save little brother! You're a team player just like dad!" Luca groaned again as his sister had been glued to him since they spawned back at the lobby. Maybe he should've just let her get splatted. It's not like it was permanent, and she wouldn't be clinging to him like she was currently doing.

"So how did you like your first Turf War Luke?" Cerata asked her second child as they stepped out into the sun. He turned towards her a gave a tired smile.

"It was really fun. But, I don't think my legs are going to like me tomorrow morning," Cerata and Inkay chuckled.

"Yeah. You're going to have to build up some stamina to play this game a lot. Also you need to practice your vertical swimming. I saw you struggling to swim up walls. Be sure to work on that a bit, okay Squirt?" Inkay said once again rustling his son's tentacles, a proud smile on his face. "I'm really proud of you Luke. You did well for your first Turf War. You K/D ratio was much better than Cereza's," Cereza pouted and unclasped her arms around Luke to confront her father.

"Hey! I spread more ink than him though, didn't I?" Inkay smirked and looked to his side and away from his daughter.

"To each squid kid their own," Cereza gave her father a small glare as Cerata giggled to herself and Luca smiled. He may put on a front that he'd rather be alone, but he really enjoyed his family's interactions. Cereza was now doing a back and forth with her father where his answers were either sarcastic or off subject, Cereza egged on by the smirk on his face.

Inkay's phone suddenly let out a loud ring. He took it out and looked at his ISquid and stared at it for a moment. His face slowly darkened, causing Cerata to approach him.

"What's wrong darling?" She asked placing a hand on his arm. Inkay let out a big sigh before typing a response on his phone before turning to his wife.

"Call from work. Something's come up," He said turning towards his wife and giving her a quick peck on the lips. "I gotta go," He approached his daughter and enveloped her in a hug and approached his son, gripping him by the shoulder and pulling him into a side hug. "You keep splatting and having fun alright?" He said giving his son a proud smile, who gave a smile of his own.

"No problem dad," Inkay turned and stepped away from the Turf War lobby, rushing off into the distance.

"Well, you ready to go again Luke?" Cereza said turning towards her little brother. Their mother answered before he had a chance.

"Oh no Cereza, we're just here to share his first Turf War with him. And we did that. We have to let him do some on his own," Luca had no problem with going off on his own, but he honestly thought his family would stick around more.

Cereza let out a sad groan before huffing out a "fine". She turned to her little brother with a smile. "Well, be sure to have fun little brother. Try not to get into too much trouble," She wrapped an arm around his neck and pulled him in for a quick hug, Luca groaning in protest. She stepped back and looked her brother over with a smile. "They grow up so fast," She said turning towards her mom and doing a fake sniffle.

Cerata rolled her eyes at her daughter and approached her son. She lightly gripped the back of his head and leaned down to kiss his forehead. She smiled at him and caressed his cheek. "I'm really proud of how you played today Luke," She said with a warm grin on her face. Luca blushed at his mothers praise and whispered an embarrassed "Thank you, mom," Cerata smiled and she and her daughter walked away from the Turf War lobby. Luca watched their retreating figures merge into the crowd and eventually separate. He figured his mom was headed back home while Cereza was headed towards one of hers and her friend's. He sat there for a moment in silence before taking a deep breath.

"Welp. Back to it I guess..." He muttered to himself as he got up and headed back inside. He was not aware of the pair of eyes that followed him the entire time.

* * *

Cereza was walking towards a nearby apartment building as her finger hurriedly tapped away on her pinkish purple ISquid. She smiled down at the screen as she finished up her message.

 _Hey! Did you see my little brother out on the field today?_

Cereza held her phone at her side and returned her eyes to where she was going. Just like she anticipated, she almost immediately got a response.

 _OHMYGOSH I MISSED IT!_

Cereza smiled at the screen as her fingers typed the reply.

 _He did awesome! Callie and Marie commentated it too, just like they did mine._

 _Ughhhhh. I completley forgot that was where you were going. You're going to have to tell me all about it. What're you doing right now?_

 _I'm practically right outside the apartment. You still there?_

 _Yep! Plans ended up getting canceled. :'( life is cruel._

 _Lol! Well have the door opened for me. I want to be able to walk right in._

 _No problem. Unlocking it now._

Cereza twirled her phone between her fingers as she continued her journey to her destination. It was a three story apartment complex in a slightly busy neighborhood. She walked through the front door and greeted the people coming to and from the building. She made her way to the the stairs and jogged up them two steps at a time before coming to the second floor.

She walked down the walkway and counted doors as she passed them. She wrapped her hand around the handle of room 208 and pushed it open. She was immediately yanked in by the hand, and the door slammed behind her.

"Alright, tell me everything! Did he do good? Was it too much? Did he play more like your mom, or more like your dad?" Cereza chuckled at the girl holding her by the wrist.

"Calm down Em. I told you I was going to tell you," The Octoling smiled and released Cereza, taking a step back with a smile.

"I'm so disappointed I missed it! Why didn't you remind me?" The girl playfully groaned, her amber eyes glistening beneath her yellow tentacles. Her outfit consisted of a green tank top that stopped just above her navel and a pair of grey pajama pants. .

"I did. Yesterday I told I was busy making plans with my parents, last night we talked about how we thought he would do, and this morning I told you I was going to do a Turf War with the family," Em placed her hands on her hips with a smirk and a narrowed brow.

"You know I can't function before 10 A.M.. That's why we started the note system," She said gesturing towards a stack of sticky notes on a small table next to the door's entrance. Cereza chuckled and ran a hand down her front right tentacle.

"Heheh. Sorry. I was so excited I forgot," Em groaned again as Cereza let out another apology. The two girls laughed before they began heading towards another room and out of the small walkway.

"Well you're going to pay for forgetting by giving me the play-by-play," Em said plopping down on a light brown couch in the living room. She changed position so that she was sitting on her knees and looked up at Cereza expectantly.

"Ok ok fine. Just let me call Wakame first," She responded sitting next to her friend and crossing her legs in front of her. Em let out an annoyed groan and plopped backwards, leaning over the arm rest.

"But wwhhhhhhhhhyyyyy? That guy's such an ass," Em said lightly flailing her body in a mock temper tantrum. Cereza chuckled as she pulled out her phone.

"Yeah, but I've known him since before I even knew my own name! He's kinda like my best friend," Em's head shot up and she sent a glare towards Cereza, who smirked in return. "Second best friend," She said correcting herself and sending Em a wink.

"Damn right second best," She said plopping over the arm rest again. Cereza punched in a few numbers before leaning back and resting her head on the back of the couch. She put her phone to her ear and waited as it begun to ring.

"Hey Wakame!" She happily called as the boy answered, much to Em's distress. "What'cha doing?" She paused as he gave an answer. "Alrighty, come over. We're about to have a discussion...No it is not an intervention!...Just get your butt over here!...ok. Bye," She hung up and looked over to her roommate who simply groaned. Cereza rested her chin on the other female's stomach, a small _oof_ coming from the latter. Em looked down at the Hybrid looking up at her, brownish purple orbs shining.

"What?" Em playfully growled.

"I loves you," Cereza said in a dopey voice. In two quick movements, Em hooked her leg around Cereza's torso and flipped the girl off of her and onto the floor. Cereza let out a startled yelp as gravity took affect and she ungraciously hit the ground. When she collected her bearings, she looked up at Em with a pout and a glare. Em rested her arm on the couch and her chin in her hand, a victorious smirk on her face.

"I loves you too,"

* * *

"Inkay! Where have you been man?" An orange tentacled Inkling called towards his friend from down a hall. Inkay was speed walking in the direction the Inkling was and when he caught up to him the Inkling began to walk alongside him.

"Sorry Kelp. You know it was Luca's first Turf War today. I had to participate in that," Inkay said. Kelp nodded and placed his hands in his pockets.

"That is a big event, but we've been trying to contact you for awhile now,"

"Do you know what's up?" Kelp shook his head in a sad way.

"No, but I hear that it's pretty bad," Inkay simply nodded. The two reached their destination and pushed open the door to a small dark room. In the room sat Agent 1 and Agent 2 around a small circular table. They looked at the two males as they entered and gave a small bow of acknowledgment.

"Agent 3. Agent 4," Agent 1 greeted as Inkay and Kelp did a short bow and stepped further into the room, closing the door behind them. "So we have a...disturbing case developing..." Agent 1 added.

"Well what's going on?" Kelp asked taking a seat on the opposite side of the table, Inkay sitting beside him.

"Well Agent 4," Agent 1 said bringing up a large manila folder and sliding it across the table. Kelp picked up the folder and opening it so both he and Inkay could see the contents. Inside were pictures and information of at least several dozen females of both the Inkling and Octoling species. Inkay pulled out a random one and began looking over it.

"Missing person report?" Inkay asked reading over the contents of this particular Inkling woman.

"That's right. Over the past year, there have been over thirty cases of females just disappearing. No clues on who or what is doing it, and no one has any idea where they could've went," Agent 1 continued.

"I'm sure you've seen the news reports spread out on the topic,"

"Yeah, but..." Kelp started. "Isn't this more of a job for the police? Don't get me wrong, I'm all for finding these people and getting them back to their families, but I thought the reason we're secret agents is to help with the undercover stuff the media doesn't want the public to know,"

"Well, you're right Agent 4. But..."

"Then we found this," Agent 2 held up another Manila folder. She slid it across to Inkay who opened to find another missing report. It was an Inkling girl with a bright smile and green tentacles, hazel eyes sparkling in the picture. She couldn't have been a day over thirty. Kelp studied the girl as Inkay began pulling apart the sub folder behind the picture.

"We found her washed up on the shore on a more secluded section of Saltspray Rig," Both Kelp and Inkay looked up at Agent 2.

"Washed up?"

"Uh, Mar-...Agent 2, we don't just find Inklings, or Octolings for that matter, 'washed up' on anything. Our bodies dissolve in water,"

"Exactly," Agent 2 slid a picture towards the two males and they both leaned over to look at it. Both of their brows furrowed while Kelp slowly covered his mouth with his hand. Inkay slowly reached towards the picture as if it would bite him if he moved too fast. "She was found during the later stages of decomposition. Which is surprising considering that would mean she had to have been there for a long time, and seagulls for some reason left her alone. As you can see, her lower legs and abdomen area have pretty much been eroded away from the waves that washed under her. The rest of her body seems to be in this strange state where it's both deteriorating and holding together,"

"But...how?" Kelp asked as Inkay stared quite appalled at the image he held in his hand.

"We don't know, but we are sure it has something to do with this strange chemical found in her blood. It was a substance unknown to any of our scientists and we have yet to be able to mimic it. Further autopsy showed that..." Agent 1 slowly grew quiet and balled her fists up.

"Further autopsy showed that she had been raped. It was a bit before they called it due to the fact of how corroded her lower body was due to the ocean water, but scientist did manage to find DNA that didn't belong to her," Inkay slowly laid the picture down and looked up to Agent 2.

"So do we have the identity of the guy who did this?"

"That's the thing. The DNA...isn't exactly Inkling, or Octarian," Agent 2 answered. "It's the same as both, but isn't neither. It's hard to explain,"

"We don't want to offend you Agent 3, but, we compared the DNA to that of your children," Inkay's eyes narrowed a bit.

"And? What did you find?"

"The DNA make-up matches that of your mixed children. So we think that we are dealing with some type of hybrid Inkling/Octarian,"

"But Agent 2...There hasn't been another hybrid born since Inkay's kids. I mean Agent 3's. Trust me, the media would be all over another mixed child being born," Kelp said leaning forward in his chair.

"Exactly. There is no other hybrid on record, so it's all a shot in the dark, and even if it's a complete miss we still have that mysterious chemical that kept her from immediately dissolving in the water that we need to investigate. Considering that this was one of the girls that just up and disappeared, we're suspecting that all these kidnappings are related, and considering the state we found this poor girl in, we need to find the cause and stop it pronto," Both Inkay and Kelp were quiet as their eyes ran down to the picture of the decaying squid girl again. Agent 1 finally recollected herself and leaned forward.

"Now do you see why the police aren't working on this alone?"

* * *

Luca let out a sigh as he sat on the steps of the Turf Tower. He brought the drink he brought to his mouth and let the drink run down his throat. If he said he was exhausted, that would have been the understatement of his life. He had been playing Turf Wars for quite awhile and his body was feeling it. His dad wasn't lying when he said he needed to build some cardio.

But it was now break time. He honestly wanted to do some more Turf Wars, but if he had to run anywhere he was going to fall flat on his face. So he sat a bit to the side of the stairs that led to Turf Tower, out of the way of any other person coming to or leaving the building.

Today had went pretty well. Sadly he had lost more Turf Wars than he won, but he always came in the top two of his team. That's saying something right? Regardless he hadn't really connected with anyone like he had hoped. There was this one girl that he played against that took an interest in his tentacles, but before the conversation could kick off some of her friends dragged her away. Luca let out a sigh of slight disappointment and brought his drink up to his mouth again.

"Rough day buddy?" Luca looked up to see an Inkling boy standing over him. He had dark blue tentacles and dark purple eyes. He wore this wide, friendly smile that caused Luca to give a small one of his own.

"Nah. Just exhausting," The boy chuckled a bit and placed his hands in the pocket of his over-sized light blue hoodie.

"The good "Yeah I'll do that again" exhausting or the "I'm soooo sick of class" exhausting?" Luca chuckled a bit.

"I'll do that again exhausting,"

"I understand completely. May I?" The boy asked gesturing to the spot beside Luca. Luca gestured to it with his hand and the boy took a seat next to him, smiling the entire time. "So was this your first day doing Turf Wars?" The boy asked Luca. Luca gave him a nervous smile.

"Is it that obvious?" The boy chuckled lightheartedly.

"You seem kinda out of breath there buddy. All noobs have that distinct feature," Luca chuckled this time.

"So what are you? Can you Turf War all day, or are you a noob like me?"

"Can't be a noob in a game you never started," The boy said leaning back against the steps.

"You don't play Turf Wars?" The boy shook his head.

"Nah. They're not really my thing. Too much running around for me. Just watching other people play gets me all tired and sleepy. So I'd much rather just watch others wear themselves out," Luca raised an amused eyebrow at the boy. "What's your name by the way?"

"My name's Luca. But my friends call me Luke. What about yours?" Smile somehow growing bigger, the teen responded

"The name's Sebastian. But you can call me Seb for short," Luca chuckled.

"Seb's a weird nickname,"

"Yeah but Sebastian's a mouthful so," Luca shrugged with a smile. "So you gonna get back in there and do a few more Turf Wars Luca?" Luca shrugged his shoulders and looked out over the plaze.

"I don't know. I'm really tired but at the same time I'm not really ready to go home,"

"Who said anything about going home?" Luca turned toward Sebastian, his toothy smile still shining bright. "I know this awesome place with amazing burgers. We can chill there for a bit if you wanna take a break," Luca ran his hand down his tentacles and looked away, an unsure hiss exiting his mouth.

"I don't know man...I should probably tell my mom if I'm going to be going somewhere..."

"Come on man, you can call her once you're there. Better to ask for forgiveness instead of permission and all that," Luca continued to rub his tentacles and look away.

"I don't know dude..."

"Just a quick trip man. We'll go in, order some burgers, listen to some beats, and we'll be back before you know it," Luca was silent for a moment. "Trust me man. Stick with me, and I promise you," Luca looked over to Sebastian as the latter stood up, looking down on him with a large smile and a hand extended.

"You won't have a bad time,"

* * *

 **I LLIIIIIIIVVVVVEEEEEEEE!**

 **So here's the sequel you may or may not have been waiting for! I hope that you all enjoy this one as much as you enjoyed Octo Colors. Being the first chapter I'm going to keep this quick.**

 **If everything goes as planned, this story may end up being longer than Octo Colors, and it may bounce around a lot. In Octo Colors there was a problem introduced in chapter one and the following chapters always had the solution in sight. This story won't have that luxury, as a problem is given through the kidnapping, but we know nothing else.**

 **So what did you guys think? Did you enjoy this chapter? Are you looking forward to the next chapter? I'd love to hear how you all think this story is going to go and your views on the characters. I sure hope you guys enjoyed the ride. Be sure to catch the next chapter. Until next time.**

 **Astalabyebye,**

 **Bang**


	2. Just a Kind Soul

(So sorry. School, being internetless, procrastinating with Tokyo Mirages. This wait was torture and I'm sorry)

Luca had always considered himself a mentally strong kid. He didn't give into peer pressure that easily and stood by his word at all times. He was going to have to think over that view of himself a little more as he followed his new acquaintance down a string of streets. So far Sebastian had been quiet the entirety of the trip, only speaking up to give the occasional 'hello' or similar greeting to people doing the same.

So far Sebastian had lead him through a series of pretty crowded walkways, so Luca wasn't really concerned with foul play, but he was getting more and more concerned the longer the trip lasted. His paranoia shot up when Sebastian made a sharp left turn into an alley.

He looked over the opening and paused. Standing at the entrance, he wondered if it was too late to back out. His trust towards this Inkling wavered as the crowd in the street walked around him.

"Hey, don't freeze up now. Come on. The place is right around the corner," Sebastian's voice caused Luca to snap his attention to him. He watched as Sebastian stood in the middle of the alley, waiting for Luca to begin following again. Luca swallowed his nervousness the best he could. There were still a bunch of people nearby. If he screamed someone would hear.

He cautiously began to step into the alley with Sebastian, the latter growing a wide smile as Luca approached. Sebastian turned back around and began walking again. He turned two more corners and walked to a door, Luca standing next to him.

"This is the place," He said knocking his knuckles against the door. After a few moments, a slide opened up at the top of the door. A set of dark green eyes glared down at the two boys. A gruff voice uttered out a seemingly annoyed

"Password?" Luca looked over to Sebastian, who simply stared up at the eyes with the same smile. Luca stood for about three seconds in absolute confusion before the eye slot was closed and locks could be heard clicking. The door opened and Sebastian looked over to Luca, gesturing with his head to follow him. Even more confused, Luca followed inside the building, stealing a glance to the very muscular Inkling standing behind the door. The Inkling seemed to glare at him as long as he was looking.

"Um...what was that?" Luca nervously asked Sebastian, as he continued to lead him down a dim hallway. Sebastian chuckled.

"That? That was the password," Luca raised a confused brow as Sebastian continued walking.

"But you didn't say anything,"

"Exactly. I said nothing,"

"So 'nothing' is the password?"

"No, _saying_ nothing is the password. Three seconds of confident silence gets you in"

"That seems like a horrible password,"

"You'll be surprised how often it keeps people out. Now," Sebastian came to a bright red curtain at the end of the hall, placing his hand on it and looking back at Luca with a grin. "You ready to have a good time?" Luca swallowed and nodded. Sebastian moved the curtain out of the way and Luca's eyes widened slightly. Behind the curtain was a large dim room. Inklings, Octarians, Jellyfish, Urchins, and more were just hanging out. The lights slowly changed colors giving the room a sort of soothing feel while everyone chatted.

Luca continued to look around, his eyes first locking onto the large stage in the far end of the room and slowly to the many tables in the middle, then eventually to the booths on the wall. Many people were eating different dishes while others could be seen drinking what Luca assumed was alcohol. There was a small, melodic beat sounding from the speakers on all the walls.

"Is...is this a club?" He asked not moving from his spot. His mom would kill him coming to a place like this with a complete stranger.

"What? No. Not really. It's just a club like place. I don't think they even serve alcohol here, and they encourage kids to come. Even have a kid's menu. Come on," Sebastian stepped deeper into the room and Luca hesitantly followed. Now actually inside the room, Luca noticed that there were quite a few families around the place, some sporting stage twos and threes. Sebastian lead Luca to a booth to the far right of the restaurant.

Sebastian took a seat on one side of the booth and Luca took one on the opposite side. Luca immediately felt himself sink into the deep red cushions on the seat and he instinctively leaned back, finding a comfortable position.

"Yeah the seats here are pretty awesome too," Sebastian added as he too melted into the cushions. Before Luca could give a comment, a waitress approached the table, handing them two menus.

"Welcome. What will you two gentlemen have tonight?" Luca took a menu and looked over the smiling Inkling. She had bright pink tentacles and wore a frilly red dress that seemed to bounce with every step she took. He gave a smile of his own before looking at the menu. There were a lot of dishes he didn't even recognize and some sounded unappealing. He eventually just settled for a catfish burger. Sebastian took his menu and handed it to the waitress.

"I'll just take the usual Sally," He said. Sally smiled and walked away from the table.

"I take it you come here often,"

"It's practically a third home," Luca raised an eyebrow at the comment.

"Third home?" Sebastian simply smiled before changing the subject.

"So tell me Luca. How old are you?" Luca stared at his new acquaintance for awhile, judging if whatever he was hiding was worth prodding further. Feeling that the subject was probably personal, he decided to ignore it.

"Fourteen. Birthday was a week and a half ago,"

"Ah, happy belated. I'll treat ya to a milkshake,"

"No thanks. I'll just stick with my burger,"

"You sure? The milkshakes here are really good too,"

"Yeah. Thanks though,"

"No problem," Luca turned his head to look over the crowd as the two fell into a long silence. Everyone seemed to be having a good time. His eyes eventually scanned over the empty stage in the back of the room.

"So what's the stage for? Do bands play here sometimes?" Sebastian turned towards the stage as well and a knowing smirk crossed his lips. He leaned deeper into the booth and propped his legs up, still looking over the stage.

"Oh that? That's the karaoke stage,"

"Karaoke?"

"Yeah. You sing?" Luca quickly shook his head.

"Oh no. That's more of my sister's thing," Luca wondered if he had mentioned something he shouldn't have as Sebastian's eyes narrowed in an almost predatory like fashion.

"Sister huh? Well if she sings maybe you should bring her here sometime," Luca turned away to keep from looking at the boy.

"I-I'll think about it," Sebastian chuckled as he turned back to the stage.

"But anyway, it usually always has some schmuck up there trying to sing some song. Occasionally some person that can actually make a tune strolls their way up there. The only reason it's empty right now is because they're preparing for the usual act,"

"Usual act?" Luca questioned as he turned back towards Sebastian, a bit more relaxed without his gaze on him.

"Oh yeah. There are three singers that come up every weekend. They started as just some kids doing karaoke but they were so popular it became a part-time gig," Luca looked back over the stage and wondered how well these kids would sound.

His question would be quickly answered as the lights stopped changing colors and dimmed as a spotlight shone on a door to the right of the stage. The crowd at first grew quiet at the change of their surroundings but then an uproar of cheers echoed throughout the building.

"Sorry for the wait. Here's your food," Luca jumped at Sally's sudden reappearance and Sebastian chuckled as he sat upright in the booth. Sally set Luca's catfishburger in front of him in a tray practically over flowing with fries. He muttered out a 'thank you' as Sally smiled at him before turning to place Sebastian's tray down.

Luca's eyes widened at all the food that sat in front of Sebastian. There was a double patty catfishburger practically over flowing with mustard and other toppings, with a small tray of hot wings to its left and a tray of fries to its right, being towered over by a large glass of a vanilla milkshake with two cherries poking out of the whipped cream.

"Thanks Sal,"

"No problem Seb," And like that Sally walked away. Luca stared at Sebastian with a slightly worried expression. "What?"

"Are you really going to eat all that?" Sebastian's response was a bigger smile as he placed a french fry in his mouth. The crowd erupted once more, drawing Luca's attention towards the spotlight again. From the door, a tall, tanned Inkling boy stepped out. But that wasn't who the crowd was cheering for. Instead they were cheering for the small girl who gently held on to his hand.

Luca's eyes widened slightly at the sight of the Inkling girl. She wore a white, frilly dress, that seemed to drape outward, resting just beneath her knees. The dress was sleeveless, showing her slightly pale skin as it looked even brighter in contrast to the tanned Inkling standing next to her.

What feature Luca locked onto next were her tentacles and the style they were in. They were a white color similar to that of Marie's, but ended with dark green highlights at the ends. She had them wrapped around her head with the ends completely covering her eyes. The male Inkling let go of her hand and gestured to her with both arms.

"Ladies and gentlemen! I present to you, our enchantress, Senia!" The crowd cheered as the girl grabbed the edges of her dress and did a small courtesy. She turned towards the stage and made her way up the three steps, slowly stepping up to the microphone. She fumbled with the microphone stand for a few moments before adjusting it to fit her height.

"See something you like Luca?" Luca's head shot towards Sebastian, who had a knowing smirk on his face.

"What? No, I'm just...wondering what song she's going to sing," Sebastian's smirk widened and his eyes narrowed at the obvious lie accompanied by a fuchsia blush.

"Mhmm. I know exactly what type of music you were thinking of," Luca sent a glare towards his new acquaintance, who simply laughed and brought his burger to his mouth. Luca returned his sights to the performer as she waited silently for the rest of the band to get in position. Once they were ready, she slowly opened her mouth.

"Thank you for coming out to listen to me. Whether the group's big or small, I truly appreciate your interest in my singing. I hope you all enjoy!" The girl gave a small bow and the crowd sounded out their support. Luca found her choice of words strange. The place was obviously packed to the brim. He shrugged it off and waited patiently as the crowd calmed down.

" _I wanna be on the front line, knotted up suit ties, talking like a headstrong mamma._

 _Got a picture in your wallet, making me a habit, wearing your vintage t-shirt"_

Her voice came out soft and delicate as the room finally settled into a complete silence. The room easily carried her voice from the speakers to everyone's ears and Luca found himself pulled in by the beat of the music and the melody of her voice.

" _Tied ribbons on your top hat, telling me I'm all that, just like the girls from your hometown._

 _Sweet blooded and up-stranded, see if I can stand it, shrinking in the shallow water,"_

Luca was fully captivated by the sound of her voice before the first verse was even over. He stared forward in awe as Sebastian silently watched the performance before looking over to him.

"Keep your mouth open like that and a bug will fly in," Luca snapped out of his trance to notice he was in fact gawking. His face colored once again as he pried his attention from Senia.

"What? I just...haven't seen a live singer in person..." Sebastian chuckled as Luca slowly returned his attention to the stage.

" _Magnetic everything about you. You really got me, now,"_ Luca attempted to watch in a more neutral demeanor. He was pulling it off until she slowly began removing her tentacles from around her eyes.

" _You took to me so well. Hypnotic, taking over me. Make me feel like someone else. You got me talking in my sleep,"_ Her tentacles now rested at her sides while her hands gently held on to the microphone. Slowly her eyes opened to reveal a bluish white shine to them, and Luca found himself even more awestruck. _"I don't wanna come back down. I don't wanna touch the ground. Pacific Ocean, dug so deep. Hypnotic taking over me,"_ With that last line over, the band upped the tempo, Senia removing the mic from the stand and beginning to twirl and dance her way around the stage. The crowd whistled and cheered during the instrumental part of the song, causing another uproar.

"She's really popular here, huh?" Sebastian put the last bite of his burger in his mouth before putting his hand over it to respond.

"Oh yeah, big hit. Some people show up just to listen to her. Which is why she gets paid for the annual gig thing," Luca continued to watch as she swayed her body and moved to the music before she had to begin singing again.

Her movements were so fluid, seemingly guiding Luca's attention over her entire being. It was ok to stare right? She was up on stage performing for everyone. It was perfectly ok.

"So is that the face of love at first sight?" A now familiar voice caused the hybrid to once again blush in embarrassment.

"S-shut up dude," Was his response as a friendly smile covered his face as he didn't even bother to turn his head away this time..

"I'm just saying dude. The look on your face makes it pretty obvious,"

"Ok, so what if it is?" Luca began to only half listen to Sebastian as Senia began singing again.

"I'm just saying man. I'm not sure if you're her type," Luca shrugged but kept the smile on his face.

"Mom always said you'll never know until you try. I wonder...if she's seeing anybody," Sebastian almost let out a loud laugh but caught himself after the first 'HA'. But that was loud and sudden enough to tear Luca's attention from Senia and send a raised eyebrow towards Sebastian. "What?"

"Nothing. It's nothing. I'm pretty sure she's not seeing anyone right now," Sebastian said with his wide smile on his face.

"Oh? And how can you be so sure?" Sebastian's smile lowered just slightly as he reached for his milkshake.

"Because, my new friend," Sebastian turned his attention towards the stage where Senia was once again dancing. "My little sister is blind," He brought his drink to his lips as Luca's eyes widened.

"She is?" He questioned as his eyes returned to the stage. His eyes widened more as the first part of Sebastian's sentence registered in his head and he turned back towards the boy in disbelief. "Little sister?!"

 _Ding Dong_

"It's not too late to change your mind,"

"You stop that," Cereza lightly scolded as she walked to the door. She opened the door with a smile to the Inkling boy standing on the other side. "Hey Wakame!" She sang as she jumped into the boy's awaiting arms.

"Hey there princess!" He called back returning her hug. She released him and looked into his smile as he entered the apartment. "Where's the witch?" He asked walking forward.

"Making a brew to make you choke on your tongue!" Em called from the other room. Wakame chuckled with a certain glint in his eye.

"Oh I know something you can choke on," he yelled back.

"I will cut you!" Em called back, the sound of her jumping from her seat sounding throughout the apartment. Cereza jumped in front of Wakame just as Em rounded the corner.

"Ladies, ladies, you're both pretty. Why don't you just fuck and get rid of all this sexual tension between you two?" Cereza grew a smirk of her own as she looked between the two. Wakame chuckled and Em simply glared.

"I wouldn't touch him if he was the last person on the planet," Em spat as she returned to the living room. Wakame chuckled again as he turned towards Cereza.

"I think she likes me," He whispered. Cereza rolled her eyes as she began following Em. "So what's up?"

"Did you see Luca play today?"

"Of course! I didn't let him take potshots at me for nothing!" Wakame exclaimed. "He did awesome. Though I think he needs to work on his wall climbing," Cereza laughed in agreement as she walked into the living room. Em had placed herself on the couch, legs propped up to take all of it up. Cereza rolled her eyes as she approached her friend. She lifted Em's feet and plopped down, placing her feet down on her leg. Wakame took a seat in a chair closest to Em. Em scoffed and rolled her eyes as Cereza continued.

"If it was up to me I'd still be playing with him. It's so fun! He plays all protective like dad does. But mom said he needs to play with people his skill range, so I only got to play one match with him," Cereza's face scrunched up in mock sadness, causing Wakame to laugh.

"Well that doesn't keep you from playing with him some the next time he goes right?"

"Yeah. You can tag along next time. Though I don't think that the other teams in his bracket would appreciate someone with your status showing up. I mean you and your parents are kind of legends in the Turf War scene. I'm sure it's only a matter of time before Luca gets up there with you guys," Cereza chuckled and crossed her legs.

"I guess. I just want to enjoy some with him. I mean, what if he decides he doesn't like Turf Wars? Like Aunt Molly,"

"I'm sure he's having a blast doing some Turf Wars. But you have to let him face the challenges and not, ya know, carry his team," Cereza smiled at Wakame and slowly nodded. "So he's out playing Turf Wars, so what're our plans for the day?"

"So you're telling me she really can't see?"

"Yep,"

"But she's moving around so fluently on stage,"

"That's because she's one of those blind genius types. She can remember how many steps are between point A and point Z and to everything in between thanks to a lot of brain training from father. She also has insane hearing. Like I'm pretty sure it may be up there with those of a super hero. So that combined with her smarts, she knows this place inside and out, and if you ask her for a tour she wouldn't miss a detail. Unless it was new," Luca watched as Senia continued to twirl and spin around the stage, stopping just short of the edge of the stage and the speakers.

Luca continued to watch Senia move. As often as he's in his room, he probably couldn't move around it nearly as smoothly with his eyes closed. His eyes did narrow a bit as all of Sebastian's words bounced around in his head. He turned his head towards the Inkling boy fast enough for the latter to notice and do the same.

"That joke you made earlier was kinda mean," Luca scolded. Sebastian's smile didn't waver as he shrugged.

"It's cool. Sis isn't the easily offended type and kinda has a dark sense of humor...if she...has a sense of humor..." Luca tilted his head but didn't question it. He turned back to Senia just as she was finishing her song. The crowd clapped and cheered as she did a small courtesy before placing the microphone back in its stand. Her tentacles once again wrapped around her head as she moved towards the way she came.

She stepped off the stage and back towards the door she walked in through. The crowd continuing to cheer even after she was out of sight. The male Inkling from before stepped back on stage, adjusting the microphone to his height.

"Alright people! Now that you're all pumped up, it's now time for karaoke! Anyone who thinks they can sing, come on over to the sign in and give your name and the song you wanna perform!" The room erupted in cheers as people got up and headed towards the sign-in.

"You sure you don't wanna give it a try? Could be fun," Luca quickly shook his head, finally going back to his burger.

"I told you, I don't sing. Maybe you should go up there," Sebastian chuckled lowly before bring his milkshake towards his mouth.

"Nah, not today. Maybe some other time. Um. Speaking of time, you know what time it is?" Sebastian reached in his pocket and pulled out his phone, sliding it open to check his phone.

"About 5:50,"

"FIVE FIFTY?!" Luca screamed jumping up from his seat. "Where did the day go! Listen Sebastian, I really have to go," Sebastian raised an eyebrow but didn't question the sudden rush.

"No problem. If nothing happens we can hang out tomorrow,"

"Yeah, sure. Thanks for the food!" Luca quickly, albeit clumsily, ran from the table towards the exit. Sebastian just watched with a chuckle.

"Where's he off to in such a hurry?" Sally questioned picking up the empty plates.

"I don't know," Sebastian shrugged. "Hey Sal, be sure to get me the doggiebag too," Sebastian said turning towards the waitress.

"Of course. Be sure to send my regards," Sal said walking off. Sebastian sank into his chair, his smile faltering a bit.

"Will do,"

* * *

 **Sooooooo. Yeah. Sorry for wait. I'll try to have the next chapter up quicker. I'm still sorta busy so I'm just going to skip ahead and answer some reviews.**

 **TheRealEpicMan: Romance? Take a look at this chapter and squint your eyes then give me your guess.**

 **ElectronThunder: So far, the plan is Luca will have the majority of the Spotlight with an almost equal amount going to Cereza. Next chapter will most likely be split like this one with Cereza getting the most attention.**

 **Ultrapyre: I thank you for your constructive criticism. But on the previous story, I questioned what the viewers were comfortable with. The chapters there were around 7000 words long, and the reviewers were comfortable with that being the floor. So in this story, anywhere from 4k to 9k word chapters are game depending on how much information I want to put out. And It's barely gotten out of the prologue ark. Things will begin heating up soon.**

 **Anyway, until next time.**

 **Astalabyebye,**

 **Bang**


	3. Laced

"Hello?"

"Hey there beautiful,"

"Heheh. Hi handsome. How's work?"

"Stressful. Sorry, I'm going to have to stay in late. Some things have come up," A sigh came through the phone as the voice responded.

"Yeah I sorta figured. Is it really bad?"

"Well…we don't know yet…But…be on your toes,"

"Alright. But be careful,"

"Of course. I love you,"

"I love you too," Inkay hung up his phone and let out a sigh.

"She seems calm about it," Kelp said as he walked besides his childhood friend.

"She's cool under pressure," Kelp chuckled as Inkay placed his phone in his pocket. The two were walking along the more concluded area of Saltspray Rig. They wore their Agent outfits and had their weapons in their hands. Inkay carried an Eliter Scope with an Octoshot Replica on his hip. Kelp's weapons of choice were a Custom Blaster and a .96 Deco.

"I wish Lyra was like that. She tends to get really worried when I have to pull late days. I get home and she's still up worrying about me and won't go to sleep until I _comfort_ her," Inkay chuckled as he turned towards his friend.

"I would think you would like someone like that,"

"Oh I do. But I hate to make her worry. Makes me feel bad, ya know?" Inkay nodded and turned his head forward.

"But enough about family. So what exactly are we looking for again?"

"Anything that can be a clue to what's happening. Suspicious person, strange ooze…another body…"

"Pleaaase, don't let it be another body…" Inkay shuddered with the image of the decaying Inkling girl coming to his mind. Kelp chuckled as the two continued forward. They looked high and low for anything out of the ordinary. It took awhile, but finally something caught Kelp's eye.

* * *

"Are you sure this is the right way Wakame?"

"One Hundred percent. Trust me, we're almost there," Wakame said as he led Em and Cereza down the street. The sun was preparing to go down and was gracing the land with the last rays of sunlight for the day. Wakame had mentioned a party that was apparently happening and was currently leading the way.

"Knowing you this is probably some type of swinger party. I swear if something sketchy goes on at this thing," Em growled at Wakame. Though her demeanor screamed she didn't want to go, she had dolled herself up for a fun night. Her tentacles were hanging loosely over her shoulders as she wore a tight black dress. Cereza simply wore what she wore to the Turf War.

"I promise you it's not that kind of party. What do you take me for? I'm not that bad! Though it is a party that will most likely get the cops called so, watch your drink at all times,"

"You best be joking Wakame," Cereza said a bit wary now as the Inkling boy scratched his head. She was about to comment on his silence when Em suddenly stopped, causing the other two to stop as well.

"Hey! Look over there!" She said tilting her head across the street. On the other side was an Octoling male. He had his emerald tentacles hanging loosely around his head as he stood tilted fixated on a vending machine as if he had never seen one before in his life.

"Whoa, a guy Octoling. Haven't seen one of those in awhile," Cereza said trying to adjust her position to see some of his face.

"Well, aside from Malcolm from class, but that guy's a prick," Wakame shrugged. Em and Cereza both stared at the Octoling boy as they chatted among themselves.

"What do you think he's doing?" Cereza asked.

"I don't know, but he's staring at that vending machine like it stole his soul or something,"

"You think that's his natural color? Or did he just change em?" Wakame rolled his eyes at his friends' shenanigans before speaking up.

"If you two are so curious, maybe one of you can stop being so creeperish and go talk to him," Both girls looked back at him, Em with a furrowed brow and Cereza with a raised one. Both were quiet for a moment before Cereza spoke.

"You're better at talking to strangers," Cereza said gesturing towards the boy with a smile.

"Exactly. So you need the practice,"

"What?" Em turned Cereza around and began pushing her towards the boy, stopping at the edge of the road and gesturing for Cereza to continue. Cereza let out a soft groan before looking towards the boy. She looked both ways before crossing the street in a light jog. She slowly walked closer to the boy, stopping just short of noticing distance to give her friends a nervous glance.

Em gave two thumbs up as Cereza took a deep breath. She took a few steps forward and put her hands behind her back.

"um…Hi there," Cereza called out. It took a second before the boy pried his eyes from the machine too look at her. Cereza swallowed as bright gold eyes locked onto her's. A low "Hello" coming from the boy as he didn't bother to turn his body towards her. Becoming more and more nervous under his gaze, Cereza turned towards the vending machine.

"S-so, why are you staring at this thing so intently?" She asked, hoping her voice had the playful tone she hoped. The Octoling turned towards the machine again, pointing towards a bag of chips stuck between the stand and glass of the machine.

"I put in my money. But it didn't give me my food," He said turning towards and tapping the glass. Cereza chuckled. She felt a lot calmer without his eyes on her.

"Oh yeah. Some of these machines around here do that a lot," Cereza said with a smile, unknowing that the boy was now watching her. She reached into the pockets in her shorts and pulled out a few coins. She looked over the machine once before placing her money in and pressing the button.

The boy looked back at the machine, expecting his chips to continue their fall. Instead, the gummy fish started falling. He was a bit confused until the gummy fish fell on top of his chips, both falling within reach at the bottom. The boy reached down, pulling out his chips and Cereza's gummies.

"Thank you. Here's yours," He said offering her her food. Cereza looked at it before raising her hands.

"Nah. You have it," She said with a smile. The boy gave her a confused look.

"But, you paid for it with your money," He stated, confusion evident on his voice. Cereza giggled and smiled up at him, putting her hands behind her back.

"Think of it as a 'nice to meet you' present," The boy looked at the gummies then at Cereza, a smile finally forming on his face.

"Thank you. What's your name?" Cereza locked eyes with the boy, a small blush forming on her cheeks from the smile on his face.

"My name is Cereza. It's nice to meet you," She did a small courtesy as he placed the bag of gummies in his pocket.

"It's nice to meet you Cereza. My name's Matzuo. Thank you for the gummies," He did a small bow as Cereza giggled at how formal he was.

"Don't mention it," Cereza's name was suddenly called, both Matzuo and Cereza looking over to see Wakame tapping his wrist as Em rolled her eyes at him.

"Sorry, my friends and I are on our way to a party. But, maybe we'll meet again sometime?" Cereza said stepping towards the road.

"Maybe,"

"Well, it was nice meeting you Matzuo!" Cereza called as she looked both ways before running back to her friends. She let out a deep breath as she and her friends began moving forward again. "So? How'd I do?" She asked Em with a big smile.

"Next time, try not to spend _your_ money," Em said wrapping her arm around Cereza. The two laughed as Wakame rolled his eyes and smiled with his friends as they walked off. Matzuo watched the trio leave until they were completely out of sight. As soon as they were, he headed the opposite way, opening his chip and reaching inside.

No sooner had he starting chewing the first chip, his phone vibrated violently. He stopped in his tracks as he pulled the device to his ear.

* * *

Luca stood in front of the door to his house. He didn't like what was going to be inside. No matter how fast he ran, he just didn't go fast enough to catch the six o'clock train home. So instead he had to catch the seven thirty train. Thus, the time was around eight, and he was late coming home. Now, he would've called and explained the situation, but of course his phone had died on him. What are the odds right?

So inside the house he was sure his mother would be positively furious at his tardiness. Well, he might as well get the punishment over sooner rather than later. He opened the door and standing practically right in it was his mother.

He gulped and stood deathly still, as if any sudden movement would worsen his punishment. Cerata simply stared down at her son with her bright green eyes in a glare he couldn't quite read. They both stood quietly for a moment before Cerata spoke.

"So. Where have you been?" Luca slowly closed the door behind him, averting his gaze from his mother.

"I found a new friend and kinda lost track of time. But I swear we weren't doing anything bad! We were just…hanging out and talking…" Cerata let out a "mhmm" as she looked over her son.

"Well I can't say I didn't see this coming. It was your first day of Turf Wars," She said with a sigh. "But don't make this a habit! At least call me if you're going to be late," Luca apologized and pulled out his phone.

"Sorry mom. It died on me…"

"Well make sure that you call me before it dies next time," She said with a serious look on her face. It melted into an excited smile. "So, how was your first day out doing Turf Wars?! Was it fun? Tell me about this friend!" She pulled her son into a hug as he blushed at the action.

"Yeah it was really fun. I'm more exhausted than I've ever been in my life though," He said with a smile. "And he was pretty cool. He showed me this really great restaurant, and he seems pretty nice,"

"well I'll have to meet him some time,"

"well, he said we could meet again tomorrow and hang out,"

"Sounds wonderful,"

* * *

 _It's your undress rehearsal._

 _So take your clothes off._

 _Show me how you show off._

 _It's your undress rehearsal._

 _You're the main attraction._

 _Lights, camera, action._

"Well I can't say the place doesn't _look_ like fun," Em said as she looked over the mass of people dancing around. The party was in a two story house on the outskirt of town. Lights flashed a variety of colors as all species danced, chatted and simply had a good time. _Maybe a little too much fun_ _,_ Cereza thought as she noticed a few people on the roof of the house either bobbing to the music or dancing, drinks in their hand regardless.

"Yeah, a friend of mine is hosting this thing. His parties can get really wild," Wakame said leading the two girls through the crowd. "Ground rules though: Don't go upstairs. Haven't been upstairs to one of his parties, but I know you're not interested in what goes on up there. Try to stay close to each other. And if anyone offers you something to drink, don't drink it unless you saw them pour it,"

"This isn't our first party Wakame. We know how to handle ourselves," Cereza giggled as they reached the front door.

"I know, but I don't want anything to happen to my best friend. You on the other hand can get ran on," Wakame said giving Em a smile as he placed his hand on the door knob.

"And you can go fuck yourself," She retorted with a smile of her own.

"You'd love to see that wouldn't you?" Wakame pushed the door open and the music almost knocked the trio off their feet. Though the music and party were going strong outside, the inside was much worse. Upon walking in, the trio immediately saw a girl being held up doing a keg stand. Cheers doing their best to come out over the music as it practically shook people. Beer pong could be seen in the back and some people ran by clothed in the bare minimum and dripping ink, so a pool was likely in the back.

"Wakame! Buddy!" The trio turned towards what he thought was his name being called to see an Inkling boy walking towards him. Though the sun had been down for about an hour, the boy had a pair of sunglasses over his eyes and his dark blue tentacles tied back. He wore a predatory smile as he had a girl clinging to each arm.

"Ryland! What up my Squid?" Wakame said walking up and shaking the boy's hand.

"Doing what it do with no curfew. So Wakame, this is Star, and Mercy," Ryland said gesturing to the yellow tentacled Inkling holding on to his right and the pink tentacled one on his left. His head shifted to the girls standing behind Wakame and his smile widened. "And who are these two?" Em crossed her arms and gave the squid boy a glare while Cereza stepped further behind Kelp.

"These are my _friends_. Cereza. And…that bitch," Em smacked the boy in the back of his head with a glare but didn't bother giving Ryland her name. Said boy chuckled at the display before shrugging.

"Well mi casa, su casa. Be sure to have fun. Shake a tail fin, throw a drink back, cut loose, do whatever. We ain't stopping until the cops show up," With that, Ryland threw a wave towards Wakame and his group and headed upstairs.

* * *

"It just…it doesn't make any sense…" Marie said into her headset. "I run it again and again and yet nothing happens. It should break down, melt, dissolve if only a little but nothing. It just…floats there…" Marie turned towards the object of her distress. On the table before her was a jar containing a large tentacle. Marie hated that they had to further mutilate the poor Inkling girl, but they needed to find out what was going on.

The tentacle sat in a jar of water. Water! It should not be able to do that! It should be gone! Marie even tried dipping it in a variety of different ink colors. The thing just let it all slide right off of it. Marie rubbed her eyes, trying to focus on the voice on the other side of the line.

"I know that if we figure out why, this could be revolutionary to the survivability of both Inklings and Octolings Callie, but if it takes all these people disappearing like this, perhaps it's better if it all just stops. Plus it, kinda kills off Turf Wars…" A small beep resounded in Marie's ear as she reached over and checked her phone. "I'll talk to you later Callie. I'm getting a call from Agent 3," Marie clicked a button on her headset, switching the call over. "Hey Agent 3. What's up?"

"Agent 4 and I found something by the Rig. It's uh…It's not good,"

"Ok, should I send a team over to pick you up?"

"We're gonna stick around a bit longer. But uh, send the team over to pick up another body,"

"Oh no…"

"Yeah. We'll stick around until they get here and then look for more clues,"

"Gotcha. I'll send them right over," Marie hung up and let out a sad sigh as she punched in the coroner's number.

* * *

Cereza sat at the table, eyeing her slightly intoxicated friend dance. The Octoling girl swung her hips to the beat of the music as people cheered her on. Cereza was a little buzzed herself, but she liked to keep a clear head. Though she liked to go out and dance, she wasn't one for these large crowds. They were never her thing. She got really nervous with groups, and this was a really large group. Wakame had took a few drinks and disappeared to who knows where so she sat, glad the music had died down, and watched her friend have fun and make a slight fool of herself.

A few Inklings and Octarians offered her a drink and a dance but she politely refused. Some chose to chat her up and start a conversation the best they could over the loud speakers. While some were rather nice, others were of course douchey and almost caused Cereza to simply get up and leave. She checked her phone, seeing the clock read 10:59.

She typed in her password and sent a quick good night text to her little brother, making sure it had a lot of huggy emotes and hearts in the message. Picturing the angry-ish blush that would no doubt cross his face at his sister's affection caused her to smile down on her phone as she pressed the send button.

"Sending a love text to your boyfriend?" Cereza jumped at the new voice, the music seeming to quiet down enough so that it was still loud but you could actually hear someone talking to you. She involuntarily shrunk back at the sight of Ryland taking a seat next to her. He had apparently abandoned the other two Inkling girls and had set his sights on her.

"No. Nothing like that," She said turning away from him, hoping he would get the message she wasn't interested.

"Well it has to be someone special for you to be smiling like that," Ryland said scooting a little bit closer. Cereza responded by trying to scoot further away.

"And why do you care?" Ryland laughed lowly and took off his shades, revealing a bright set of amber eyes.

"Just trying to start a conversation. Ya know, since you're not out there dancing. Why aren't you dancing by the way?" Cereza groaned inwardly as the guy didn't take the hint.

"Because I don't want to dance right now. I'm tired,"

"Then have a drink," Cereza turned just in time to see Ryland holding a red cup practically right in her face. She eyed the cup, then him and her brows furrowed. Wakame's words ringing in her head. _Don't drink anything you didn't see them pour._

"No thanks. I don't accept drinks from strange squids," She answered, her tone taking a more hostile air to them from being messed with.

"Come on beautiful. You're not dancing, you're not talking, you're not drinking. What was the point of you even coming out tonight?"

"Just to hang out with my friends,"

"Well they seem to be having a good time without you," Cereza didn't respond. She only let out a scoff as she continued to watch Em dance. "Come on, live a little,"

"I am living. My way, with my rules. And I don't want your drink,"

"Just one drink and a chat, and I'll leave you alone, scout's honor," Cereza looked at the boy out of the corner of her eye as he smiled at her with his bright Amber eyes glowing. She stared at him for a moment before giving him a smile.

"Well, if you swear it'll make you go away…one drink," Ryland's smile widened as Cereza took the cup. His face shifted to confusion as she sat it down on the table behind her. "Oh I'm not drinking that. If you want me to drink so badly, bring me a Fruit Punch mix, a few ice cubes, and a cup. I'll pour it myself," Ryland looked at her a bit dumbfounded as she turned her head back towards Em. After a second she looked towards Ryland. "Well? Off with you," Ryland chuckled before downing the drink meant for Cereza before standing up and walking away.

Cereza chuckled to herself as Em's dancing got more and more unbalanced. Soon she had collasped on the couch and began ordering her new fans to bring her this or that. It wasn't long before Ryland returned carrying the requested drink items. He smiled as he popped two ice cubes out of the ice tray and into an empty red cup, mimicking the action into another cup. Cereza watched him carefully, choosing to pick up and pour the drinks herself. Ryland raised his cup with a smile.

"To a good time!" Right as he was about to bring his drink to his lips, Cereza grabbed it, replacing it with hers with a smirk.

"To you going away," Ryland looked down at his new cup, then at Cereza as she took a small sip of hers. His smile returned as he down his with a throwback of his head. "Wow. You can go away now right?" Ryland chuckled as he leaned in closer.

"But we still have to chat, Cereza," The hybrid girl rolled her eyes and turned away. "So how old are you?"

"If you must know, I'm 24,"

"Seriously? You look a lot younger than that,"

"And you're still trying to make a move? Are you a pedophile?" Ryland chuckled.

"I didn't say that young, beautiful,"

"Stop calling me that," She suddenly snapped. "I don't need your empty compliments. I'm sure you tell everyone that," She returned her head forward and took another small sip of her drink.

"Trust me, I don't" Ryland answered with a smirk as he watched Cereza slowly consume the liquid. Cereza tried to ignored the next few questions as she sipped her drink. Em had tired herself out and was now entertaining her new fans with some story.

Cereza took another sip of her drink, the ice now dissolving from the warm drink. It tasted a bit different. Must have been from the ice watering it down. She took another sip, noticing a bit of a salty taste. It was subtle enough for Cereza to chalk it up to simply her imagination and she continued her drink. She finished the drink and turned towards Ryland, being sure to look him dead in the eyes.

"I've had my drink, you've had your conversation. Can you…please…leave me alone…now?" Cereza suddenly felt a slight sting in her head. It started as a soft poke but steadily increased in pressure. It died down quickly but seemed to mess with her senses on its way out.

Her eyes blurred and sound slurred as she tried to focus. Looking around, everyone seemed to be moving increasingly slower. She looked towards Em, preparing to call out to her friend. When she opened her mouth, nothing came out. Instead it seemed like Em was getting pushed further away. She, along with the people around her, seemed to fade into the darkness.

Now in a panic, Cereza turned around, about to see if Ryland knew what was going on. Her eyes widened as things seemed to begin to shred into the depths of the dark behind Ryland.

"What's the matter?" Ryland asked concerned, leaning in as worry encased his eyes. "Are you not feeling well?" Ryland's body seemed to fade away as well as his eyes stayed behind to stare at her. They blinked and too disappeared into the darkness. Cereza stared wide-eyed as even the space around her fell away. She got this feeling that she was falling. Further and further before in an instant, the feeling reversed.

Her breathing became panicked as she felt like she was getting raised higher and higher. In the distance, she noticed two specks of yellow getting closer and closer. Once close enough, she realized that they were a set of eyes. Bright yellow eyes watching her in the darkness.

"Look at you. Finally having a good time?" A voice called over the still slurred music coming from the darkness. The eyes watched her as she continued upward, curling around as if the owner was smiling. Cereza continued looking around, trying to find some type of explanation for what hell was actually going on.

More colored specks were in the distance, revealing themselves to be couches as Cereza got closer. From beneath, Cereza could see that people were sitting on them. She prepared to call out to them, but the voice caught in her throat as one person looked over the couch and down on her.

It laughed darkly, the voice echoed around the slurred music as the beat slowly became more coherent. In the seat, as well as all the others, were different color variations of Cereza. As she passed, they reached out for her, grabbing and stretching as if trying to stop her ascent. Some managed to get a hold of her arms or legs but she quickly slipped out of their grip, cut marks left behind where their hands once were.

She held her arms to her chest in fear as she was once again in a blank section of the darkness. The eyes returned along with colored circles that moved towards them with the beat of the music and a set of fangs of an Inkling/Octoling appeared beneath the eyes in a wicked smile. The newly made face ascended with Cereza as a low chuckle seemed to come from everywhere.

"Feels like it's laced. With some type of acid," The music slowly sped up, the eyes and mouth getting bigger as Cereza felt she was speeding up as well. "It's a bad check. You wish you never cashed this," The colored circles pulsated in the form of an Inkliod figure within the darkness, Cereza's tentacles whipped harshly around her head from the G-Force of her ascent as her eyes widened, and the tentacles of the giant stretched out and waved in all directions.

"Shoulda took the advice the old bastard gave ya,"The darkness disappeared with a pulsating color, showing that Cereza was high within the cloud, before her a giant Octoling silhouette still pulsating colors to the music. "Cause not even Major Lazer can save ya!"

Still continuing her ascent, Cereza noticed that something was falling towards her. A lot of somethings. A lot of Cerezas. They passed her at insane speeds, Cereza looking over her shoulder to see them falling towards the house the party was being held. Looking back upward, she noticed her parents house. Not slowing down a bit, she slammed into the front door, waking up in her bed in her old room with a startled gasp.

She looked around before stepping out of bed, rubbing her face and head as she felt a cold sweat run over her body. She walked to her mirror, looking up and going wide eyed as she saw her reflection. Her fangs were gone, replaced with regular teeth. On her head, her tentacles were missing as well, replaced with thin, purple strands of…something…was it fur? Like Judd had? Behind her, the wall slowly morphed until the eyes and mouth were back, her seeing them in the mirror. She turned around and looked as the smile widened.

"Hello there Cereza. I'm Mr. Mary Jane," Cereza turned and ran towards the door, pushing it open and running as fast as her legs could carry her. The walls slowly grew taller as the face appeared on each one. The hallway seemed to stretch on forever but Cereza continued. She ran faster and faster, trying to reach the door on the end. She pushed it open and didn't stop, stepping out of the house to fall out of the sky and towards the ground.

She fell faster and faster towards the house, a calm feeling enveloping her as she got closer. Right as she was about to reach the ground, something grabbed her, and pulled her back up.

* * *

Inkay and Kelp sat patiently, Inkay studying the body while Kelp tried his best not to look at it. "So how long do you think she's been there?" Kelp said as he stood with his back towards the scene. He didn't want to catch a glimpse of the poor Octoling girl again.

"I don't know. Inklings and Octolings usually revert to ink after they die. I'm not even sure how people begin to understand how long somethings been dead," Inkay ran his hand along the sand beside the body, rubbing the grains between his fingers to find that they seemed to be surprisingly dry considering how close they were to the water. "The worst thing about this situation is we still don't know what's going on and how to stop it," Kelp let out a sigh and stretched.

"We'll just have to stay vigilante and keep our eyes ope- 3 LOOK OUT!" Inkay looked up as Kelp dived for him. Kelp rolled his friend out of the way just as a large stream of purple ink shot where Inkay's head was. The two trained agents quickly jumped to their feet, turning their weapons towards the direction of the sneak attack.

In the distance, a figured stepped forward, clad in all black body suit with a mask designed in the Inkling variation of the tragedy mask. In his hand was a weapon neither Kelp nor Inkay recognized, but it was no doubt a charger. The figure took a few steps forward and paused, tilting it's head at the two Inklings.

"Drop your weapon! Drop it!" Kelp screamed as he pointed his blaster at the figure. The figure simply stared as it righted its head, slowly tapping its weapon against his leg.

"Are you the one who did this?" Inkay asked, his charger aiming for the mystery assailant's chest. The figure held its head down, as if in shame before slowly shaking it.

"It's only going to get worse…before it gets better…" The figure said. Both Kelp and Inkay narrowed their eyes in confusion but didn't let their attention waver. The figure suddenly pulled out another weapon, pointing it towards the Agents and preparing to fire.

Reacting quickly, both Inkay and Kelp fired their weapons. The E-Liter shot landing directly in the figure's chest as Kelp's blaster exploded in its face. The figure stumbled and was pushed back. Kelp and Inkay subconsciously lowered their weapons and looked out towards the person as they weren't splatted. Instead, the person charged forward.

Caught off guard, both Inklings stumbled. The figure jumped forward, placing its knee in Kelp's face and backhanding Inkay with its second weapon. Inkay rolled, pulling a Burst Bomb from his tank and throwing it towards his attacker. The attacker dodged under the bomb and rushed Inkay again. Inkay pulled out his Octoshot Replica and began firing. The figure bobbed and weaved, taking a few shots but continuing forward.

The attacker swung its weapon forward, pointing it towards Inkay as the Inkling's eyes widened. There was a shot of turquoise that knocked the weapon from the figure's hand. It stopped his charge as he looked towards where its weapon was now rolling across the ground. He looked over to be greeted by Agent 4's fist to its face. The figure stumbled a bit as Kelp clipped his weapon back on his side. Inkay stood and regrouped with his partner, looking over as the assailant righted itself.

"Please tell me you have a plan," Inkay said pointing his weapon towards the enemy.

"Well, weapons don't seem to work, we'll just have to beat him down and drag him in," Inkay looked down at the weapon grasped in his hand and shrugged, clicking it to his side and raising his fists like Kelp. The figure rolled its neck before staring for a moment, eventually hanging its head down.

"I don't want to do this. And I don't have time for this…you're both just…in my way,"

"In your way? In your way for what?" As an answer, the figure ran forward. Inkay and Kelp both threw a punch from opposite sides as their attacker continued. In a quick twist, the attacker deflected both attacks, Inkay's with his right arm and Kelp's with his left leg. Continuing the twist, it punched Inkay in the face with its left hand and kicked Kelp in the chest with its right leg. Both agents were sent flying as the assailant landed and continued forward. Groaning and rolling to get to his feet, Inkay came to the realization of the figure's target.

"He's going for the body!" Inkay said running after the figure. Kelp rose to his feet clutching his chest as he followed Inkay. The figure skidded to a stop next to the body, turning towards the two Inklings, causing them to come to a stop as well. Ever so slowly, the figure pulled out what looked like a Splat Bomb. Instead of one color, it seemed to swirl every possible color before flashing white a few seconds and returning to the swirl.

"What kind of bomb?…" Kelp said going wide-eyed at the item. The figure held it towards the body and tilted its head.

"...Stop struggling…go home and just…enjoy life…while you can…" In seemingly slow motion, the figure dropped the bomb, and everything was consumed in white.

* * *

Cereza groaned as she sat up, the cold wind blowing against her face as she rubbed her head.

"Ugh…Wha…where am I?"

"You're on the roof," Cereza's eyes shot open but it didn't help focus her eyes. Rubbing them and blinking them a lot finally corrected her sight as she realized she was in fact on the roof, looking down on the party that seemed to have slowed down quite a bit.

"What?! But!…H-h-how did I get up here?!" She screeched scurrying further away from the edge, her breath quickening as she began to panic.

"I brought you here," Her eyes snapped to the voice and her own caught in her throat. Looking back at her were the bright gold eyes of Matzuo. He slowly smiled as her face began to heat up.

"But! But! W-what happened?! Why did you bring me here?! Why don't I remember anything?!" Matzuo gave a nervous smile as he raised his hand to his head.

"I don't know all the details, but I know I walked in to see some guy carrying you upstairs. You seemed completely out of it, so I followed and uh…"

"Oh my god…" Cereza said going wide eyed. Her eyes quickly narrowed as this aura of anger enveloped her. "That bastard drugged me! But I was so careful! I don't…and he…" The aura of anger slowly died down as tears came to Cereza's face. "He…he…"

"He didn't do anything," Cereza looked over to the Octoling boy as he gave a comforting smile. "I got to him before he could and I brought you up here. I figured your friends were somewhere around, but not really knowing them, I just thought I'd watch you until you came to your senses,"

"Wow, um," Cereza wiped her eyes, stretching and adjusting her legs before looking back at Mitzuo. "That's really nice of you,"

"Well, you seem like a really nice person. I couldn't let someone take advantage of you like that," Cereza smiled at Mitzuo as he returned it and looked over the people below.

"Thank you," Mitzuo turned towards Cereza again as a small beep rang out. Cereza jumped at the sound before chuckling nervously and reaching for her phone. Her eyes widened as she looked over the locked screen.

2:48 A.M., twelve texts, and twenty calls. Her eyes widened as she unlocked her phone and scanned over the texts. Each one was a worried message from either Wakame or Em, them becoming increasingly desperate. She pressed dial and began called Em, placing the phone to her ear.

"WHERE ARE YOU?!" The Octoling girl immediately screamed into the phone. "WAKAME AND I ARE WORRIED SICK! WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!" Cereza smiled to herself at her scolding before trying to calm her friend down.

"I'm ok, I'm on the roof,"

"THE ROOF?! BACK AT THE PARTY?!"

"Oh? You guys left?"

"OF COURSE WE DID! WE LOOKED ALL OVER FOR YOU AND YOU WERE NOWHERE SO WE STARTED LOOKING OTHER PLACES! WE'RE HEADED BACK, JUST STAY PUT!" Cereza chuckled softly as she looked over to Matzuo.

"No, don't worry about it. I'm on my way home, I'll just meet you there,"

"You sure girl? We're headed back now we won't take long,"

"I'm sure, headed back now,"

"Well….we're still coming. We'll meet you halfway," Cereza chuckled more and smiled. It was nice to have friends concerned about you. So nice.

"Ok, I'm headed back now. And Em,"

"Hm? What is it?"

"I love you,"

"Ugh. You too stressful," Cereza playfully scoffed, a wide smile on her face.

"Rude! I said 'I love you!'"

"Yeah I love you too, just get your butt over here!"

"And tell Wakame I love him too!"

"Nuh uh. I'm keeping all of it to myself," Cereza and Em both laughed as Cereza stood up.

"Ok fine. I'll tell him myself when I see him. See you in a bit," Cereza hung up, smiling brightly to her phone before turning her smile to Matzuo. "Care to walk me home?" Matzuo tilted his head a bit before standing as well.

"Oh, um. Sure. Yeah. It'll be my pleasure," Cereza flashed a toothy smile before taking the Octoling by the arm, leading him inside and down the hall. The top floor was overrun with passed out Inklings/Octarians, some severely under-dressed. She kept her eyes forward as she traveled the hall, stepping down the stairs still clinging to Matzuo's arm.

As she reached the bottom floor, a voice caught her ears. She glanced over to see Ryland standing next to the couch, talking to some Inkling girl. She narrowed her eyes as Matzuo noticed the shift in her mood.

"Are you ok?" Cereza turned towards Matzuo and gave a smile.

"Yeah, completely fine. But can you give me one second?" Before he had a chance to question, Cereza unhooked herself and jogged over to Ryland. "Hey you," Ryland turned towards Cereza, standing up as she approached.

"Oh, hey there. What's up? Your uh, boyfriend came and got ya. You had one too many it seems," Ryland confidently said. Cereza gave the boy a smile before leaning in.

"Oh that wasn't my boyfriend. And I doubt that was the cause," Ryland looked at the girl confused for a moment, but his smile widened as she wrapped her arms around his neck. There was a sudden pain in his tentacles as Cereza grabbed them. She held her head back and with a swift yank, pulling Ryland's head back as she shot hers forward.

Cereza sent a headbutt into Ryland's face so hard his shades shattered and the Inkling boy fell backwards on the floor, clutching his nose as it began to bleed. Face now contorted in rage, Cereza stepped forward, slamming her foot down on Ryland's family jewels as the lingering crowd looked on in shock.

"If I so much as hear your name again, the next time I see you, I will rip those tentacles off your head, shove them up your ass and pull them out through your eyes! Creep!" Cereza stormed off as Ryland rolled on the ground in pain. Demeanor returning to a happy playful, she reconnected her arm with Matzuo's and gave the shocked Octoling boy a smile.

"Well? Shall we be off?"

* * *

 **Hello hello. How's everybody doing? Don't have much to say this time. This chapter focused mostly on Cereza whereas last chapter focused on Luca, both involving them meeting new people. Luca met an Inkling and was informed of his blind sister. This chapter Cereza met an Octoling boy that saved her from being date raped. Also if you're wondering how that happened, the drugs were in the ice, which is why Ryland downed his immediately. So Cereza slowly sipping hers allowed the ice to melt and the drugs to set in. Nothing's safe. Especially not when you make Cereza angry.**

 **We also see Inkay and Kelp get roughed up a bit. But, what happened to them after the explosion? You'll just have to figure out next time.**

 **Speaking of next time, more characters get introduced, we get a better look at what that bomb did, and someone gets involved on the disappearances.**

 **Anyway, I thank you all for reading, and special thanks for those who reviewed the previous chapter. Until next time,**

 **Astalabyebye,**

 **Bang**


	4. Love is Everywhere

Inkay groaned as consciousness slowly returned to him. Along with it was a strong ache throughout his entire body. It was an annoying throb that made him squeeze his eyes shut and attempt to will the pain away. This only seemed to make the ache attack with avengeance. Thus causing him to groan a bit louder.

"Marie! I think Inkay's waking up!" The voice caused Inkay to stir more, his eyes fighting their way open and immediately becoming overrun with a bright white. Blinking the brightness away, the white turned out to be a ceiling, the pureness of it becoming corrupt as two blurred images came over it. The blurs turned out to be Callie and Marie, both wearing expressions of overwhelming joy.

"Callie? Marie?" Inkay choked out. His throat seemed painfully dry and the sound came out hoarse. At the sound, both Inkling women enveloped Inkay in a tight hug. He let out a pained yelp and groan at the affection, the Squid Sisters quickly releasing him.

"Sorry, we got excited," Callie said with a smile. Inkay let out another pained groan before fighting to sit up on his arms. It seemed that the more he moved, the worse the ache got. It didn't surprise him, but that didn't mean he liked it. Finally propping himself up, the sheets that covered him fell to his waist, causing his bare chest to be exposed to the cold air, his body visibly shivering.

"What…what happened?" He groaned. His head suddenly had a pulse of pain, causing him to once again wince. He made the mistake of trying to rub the pain away, immediately crashing to his bed as soon as his arm came from beneath him.

"We were hoping you would be able to tell us," Marie said crossing her arms.

"Don't ever scare us like that again! The coroners came back with you and Kelp in sheets! We thought you were dead!" Callie said with a huff and a pouting glare. Mention of his friend and ally, Inkay once again tried to move.

"Kelp? What happened to him? Is he ok?" He once again tried to sit up. With a bit more struggle, Inkay propped himself up. Marie gently put a hand on his bare chest and eased him back softly until he once again laid down. Inkay once again shivering and a bit of color tinting his cheeks.

"Since you woke up, we're guessing Kelp will soon. But you shouldn't move too much. You're body was…" Marie paused and looked at her cousin, the two exchanging disheartening glances like neither knew how to approach the subject.

"My body was what?" Inkay said, suddenly very anxious to remove the sheet to see if there were any abnormalities with his being. "A-and what about the body we found by Saltspray Rig?"

The mention of the other body caused the two cousins to look back at Inkay, Marie's fist tightening ever so slightly while Callie nervously rubbed her arm.

"When the coroners got to you…there was no body…" Callie started. "There was just a bus sized crater on the beach pooling water with you and Kelp not too far off to the side,"

"And when they found you…" Marie continued. "You're bodies were…deteriorating…" Inkay went wide eyed. His mouth becoming increasingly dry at the thought. His body was falling apart? He raised his hands to his face, both limbs shaking slightly. Was his body still deteriorating? "It was like nothing we've ever seen," Inkay tore his eyes from his hands and looked over to Marie. "The coroners tried to move you and everything just…drooped. Like you were melting…"

"The doctors brought you and Kelp both to the lab as quickly as they could and immediately starting to try and fix whatever was wrong with you. But, with them not even knowing what was wrong with you, time wasn't on friendly terms with us…"

"But…they fixed it…right?" Inkay's voice quivered as fear set in. Marie and Callie gave a soft smile to calm him. It honestly did more than they could imagine for his state of mind.

"We believe so. We've been monitoring you for awhile now and the deteriorating does seem to have stopped. Hopefully there's not a delayed response and it flares up again," Inkay visibly relaxed at Callie's explanation, a calm sigh leaving his lips. He slowly opened his currently dim purple eyes towards the Squid Sisters.

"So, what did they do to stop it?" The glance the two shared was not settling. Marie sighed and turned back towards Inkay first.

"When we tried everything else, we really had to, um…bet all our chips, so to speak…"

"W-what do you mean?"

"Well…We tried medicine and all types of treatments but nothing worked. The deterioration was beginning to severely affect vital organs, and if we didn't do something, those would have stopped working. So we…hooked you up to a respawn point and…splatted you,"

"YOU WHAT?!"

"We didn't know what else to do! We were out of all other options and a doctor pointed out that the main body was falling apart like when an Inkling falls in water, so maybe if we splat you, your body would return to normal when you respawn. Of course there were objections and a back and forth but we were running out of time. But, at least it worked, right?" Marie gave her signature smile, but it was obviously forced and was overrun by the worry she tried to hide behind it.

Inkay took a deep breath. His hand found his face again as he gently tried to massage away the migraine trying to fight its way into his skull. A hand gently rested on the one at his side. Inkay looked down to stare back into the worried eyes of Callie.

"Inkay, what happened out there?" Inkay turned his head to the ceiling, trying to piece together the night before. Bits and pieces flashed in his minds eye, none of which were particularly pleasant. He played it all in his head before relaying the information to the original Agents.

"There was this…person. They were dressed in all black, and carried two weapons Kelp and I never seen before. He came to dispose of the body's remains and he did it with…some type of Splat Bomb that swirled all types of colors and exploded white. I remember this intense burning and then waking up here," The Squid Sisters shared another glance. This one was filled with fear and worry. They returned their attention towards the wounded Inkling and prodded further.

"Did they say anything?" Inkay sat for a moment before weakly nodding.

"Yeah…yeah he said something about I should go home and 'enjoy life while I can'. And that…it was only going to get worse before it got better," A chill ran down the back of all those in the room. Silence grew until Inkay broke it with a groan. "Everything aches,"

"Better than everything being gone," Marie retorted, causing Inkay to let out a pained laugh of approval. "Well…Callie and I are glad you're okay. We'd love to stick around and baby you some more, but we have to go and do the morning Inkopolis News Time," Inkay's head shot up towards Marie with such speed both Inkling girls jumped. Inkay stared wide-eyed in mute horror as if Marie grew another limb out of her forehead.

"Morning? Wait…what time is it?"

"Almost eight A.M.," Callie answered. Inkay shot up, sitting up once again with disapproving looks from both Squid Sisters and disapproval from his body as well as a surge of pain shot throughout him, it going ignored for awhile.

"Eight A.M.!?" Inkay shrieked before the pain caused him to fall back on the bed. "You mean I've been away all night?! Cerata has to be so worried by now!" Inkay rolled over, preparing to attempt to get off of his makeshift bed. "I gotta go call her," Gloved fingers once again found their way to his chest as Inkay looked up to the half lidded golden eyes of Marie. Her brow furrowed as she was a bit more forceful with pushing him back down.

"What part of 'you shouldn't move too much' didn't you understand?" Inkay didn't have the strength to really fight back, but he had just enough to voice his complaints.

"But I have to-"

"Lay there and get some rest. We'll call and tell Cerata what's going on and where you are on the way to the office," Callie said as Marie crossed her arms and Inkay let out a sigh.

"Alright. Fine,"

"Good. Now, try to get some rest. We'll come to check on you later," Inkay nodded and closed his eyes, the Squid Sisters looking over him a moment more before heading towards the door.

* * *

Cereza slowly let her eyes flutter open. Sleep was steadily being replaced with consciousness and the hybrid stretched all of her limbs. A soft yawn exited her maw before she rolled over to see the body that laid beside her.

Em's sleeping face was always so adorable to the hybrid girl. Em's emotions seemed to always be either excited or angry, so the calm and relax visage sleep brought the Octoling was always an interesting sight for Cereza. Her eyes weren't wide and examining or furrowed and burning. They were just calm as Em took long, slow breaths through slightly parted lips.

Cereza smiled at her friend as thoughts of the night before came back to the front of her mind. After the ordeal at Ryland's, Wakame and Em both did meet Cereza and Matzuo halfway, and both of her friends were practically in hysterics. Em practically knocked her over with a hug while Wakame bombarded her with questions, her giving a genuine smile the entire time. After they calmed down a bit, she explained everything that had happened and then officially introduce Matzuo and his involvement in the night.

Both of her friends thanked Matzuo profusely, him seeming to not be used to the gestures. The group chatted a bit before Matzuo went off his way while Cereza and co went their own. Em immediately bombarded her with questions on whether she 'tapped that' or not. She of course flustered with her friend and denied it, causing Em to prod further. Wakame was too busy being angry and disappointed in himself for allowing such a thing to happen. Cereza continued to try and convince him otherwise, but he simply wouldn't agree with her.

He walked Cereza and Em home, giving the hybrid a tight hug and another tsunami of apologies for what she went through. Cereza gave him a gentle hug back and a smile before dismissing the subject. The two girls went and took quick showers before meeting up in Cereza's bed to discuss the positives of the party that they remembered. Also Cereza wanted to tell Em about her 'fresh' dance moves.

It wasn't long before the two fell asleep, and now they were here, Cereza sorta creepily staring at her friend's sleeping face. After the rare scene was etched into her mind, Cereza carefully rolled over, reaching for her phone sitting on the nightstand beside her bed. Her smile brightened a bit as she noticed she had a good morning text from Wakame.

 _Good morning beautiful. I hope you slept well with no nightmares or anything. I want to apologize again for last night. I should've been more vigilant and kept an eye on you. Just wanted to check in since I was up. Text me back whenever you and the harlot wake up too._

Cereza rolled her eyes at how he addressed the other member of their group. Aside from that, a warm feeling spread through her chest. This was so nice. Having people worry about you. Having people care. She knew Wakame pretty much since they were stage ones, but he didn't become close or that caring honestly until they were both final stages. And Cereza didn't know Em even existed until around five years ago. And now she would do whatever it took to keep her little group happy.

She rolled on her back, closing her eyes and resting her phone on her chest. She thought back to the first meetings and the ones after that led to the ties that bonded them together now. The warm, happy feeling spread throughout her as she reminisced. Her mind then wandered to other times, though she chose to push those away and bring the thought of the Octoling boy to the forefront of her mind.

Maybe he could be another chain in their link. Her hand holding her phone to her chest raised to her lips and she gently bit down on one of her knuckles. Another friend. Her smile grew under a blush as thoughts jumped around inside her head. The thoughts led her back to one thing she had to do, taking her hand from her mouth and unlocking her phone, Cereza opened up messages and prepared to send one to her little brother.

* * *

Luca dreamed of bluish white eyes and an angelic more he reached out for it, the further away it seemed to get. Soon the owner of the beautiful features was fading as Luca began waking up. He did his best to shoo off consciousness as he chased down the dream. Unfortunately, the vision escaped with the assistance of a few buzzes.

Groaning at the lost of a good dream, Luca rolled over, reaching for the cause of his disappointment. He picked his phone off the nightstand and looked over the screen. A sigh escaped his lips at seeing the early morning message from his sister. Well, he wasn't getting back to sleep. Might as well see what she wanted. He swiped his screen, unlocking it and looking at the message.

 _Good morning little bro! Hope you have a great day today! Remember to smile. ;D :x_

Luca stared blankly at the text for a moment before simply responding with 'Good morning sis'. He placed his phone on his nightstand where it was before and sat up. And instantly regretted it. Everything was aching from him Turf Warring so much the day before. He groaned and thought about just laying back down until everything didn't hurt. But then he remembered he had agreed to meet Sebastian again. Well he was stupid enough to not get his number, so he couldn't cancel, and simply not going would have been beyond rude.

Luca rolled out of bed and did his best to stand. It was a chore, but he managed to do it. He walked over and pulled some stuff out to wear. He picked a loose fitting shirt and jeans as to not constrict his already stiff and aching body. He walked down to the first floor to see his mother already dressed.

"Good morning mom. What' going on?" Cerata looked up from the phone and gave her son a smile.

"Good morning Luca darling," She walked over to her mixed child and pulled him into a hug. "Something's happened with your father. It was a…work related problem," Luca went wide eyed and looked up at his mother, fear evident on his face.

"Is dad going to be okay?" Cerata smiled and rubbed her son's tentacles.

"Yes, I'm told he's fine. I'm just going to go check on him," Luca visibly calmed down. The relaxed composure of her son calmed Cerata down as well. "Do you have any plans today? Gonna go Turf War some more?" Luca shuddered at the thought of more physical activities and shook his head.

"Not today. I'm just gonna chill with Echino a bit and then hang out with my new friend," Cerata nodded before finally releasing her son and stepping back.

"Ok. Well I'll be home kind of late. But I want you home before eight! Ok?" Luca nodded as Cerata smiled. She handed her son some extra money and a kiss on the forehead before heading to the door. Luca smiled to himself as his mother left and he prepped to go to Cooler Heads.

The trip was uneventful and most of it went by in a haze of Luca mentally complaining about how his muscles hurt. He finally arrived at the shop and pushed the door open, a small bell chiming to signal his entrance.

"Welcome to Cooler Heads, where compared to your freezer, we are always Cooler…Oh, hi there Luca," a deadpan sea urchin said to him. The urchin was a stage four, his head covered in spikes that currently reached out further than his limbs did. The spikes started out pitch black before turning into a variety of colors towards the edges, only showing one of his eyes..

"Hi Echino. What's up?" Bluish green eyes lazily stared to the side as Echino gestured to the counter.

"Mom's out for the day. Asked me to watch the store until she got back. I'm sort of glad today's been kinda slow. I'm not really good at doing multiple things at once," Luca chuckled at the younger male as Enchino slowly grew a small smile. "I'd love to hang out with you today, but Moe doesn't want any non-costumer visitors while he and mom are out," Luca groaned at the mention of the clownfish, never really being fond of him.

"Darn, well maybe some other time?"

"Of course. Not like I'm ever doing anything else. Ooo, but bring some Super Sea Snails would ya?" Luca rolled his eyes at the little glutton before smiling.

"Sure. Just for you buddy," Echino was practically drooling at the thought of his favorite treat. With a disappointed wave, Luca stepped out of the store. He looked around to see if there was something he could do while he waited. Now that he thought about it, he didn't even set up a meeting time with Sebastian. He could be waiting here for a long time.

He let out an aggravated groan. Why was he so bad at planning? As he glanced around trying to find something to kill time, he noticed Sheldon's store had a sale on chargers. Images of his dad expertly using an E-liter flashing through his mind. Could he be that good one day? He reached in his pocket, checking how much extra cash he had from his games yesterday. Looking over the price and how much he counted, he had just enough for a Splatterscope.

* * *

Cereza was currently sitting at the breakfast table, Em sitting across from her suffering from a headache from a hangover. The Octoling girl would break away from her meal to lay her head on the table and whimper lowly. Cereza giggled softly everytime before continuing her breakfast.

Other than that, the two girls sat in silence. The only noise being made being the occasional clink of spoon connecting with a bowl and teeth chewing food. This was without a doubt one of their more quiet mornings. Usually Em was able to hold a conversation, even when hungover. But between her groans of pain, she was thinking of making sure that a hangover was the least of that Ryland guy's problems. Normally Cereza would notice the anger burning on her face, but today, it was being confused with pain.

Cereza's phone let off a little jingle, causing a giggle to escape the hybrid's throat as a pained grunt came from the Octoling due to the loud noise. Cereza picked up her phone, scanning over the notification before smiling to herself, unlocking and quickly tapping at the device.

"And who is that?" Em questioned, already having an idea. Cereza's face colored and she gave a smirk.

"No one. Just Matzuo," Em replied with a long 'ooo' while wiggling her eyebrows at her friend.

"And what are you two talking about? Making dating plans?" Em's smile grew wider while Cereza's blush grew more obvious.

"Of course not. We're just…going to lunch and the movies," Much to her head's protest, Em sat up in excitement. Her hands clasped together as she squealed her approval of her friend's plans.

"That sounds like a date to me! How are you not excited?"

"Because I'm freaking out!" Cereza playfully shouted. "I have never been on a date! I don't even know where to begin! What if I embarrass myself? You know I end up doing that too much. And you said yourself that sometimes I exert too much energy," Cereza's eyes went wide as she placed both hands on her cheeks. "What will I even wear?" Em reached across the table, taking one of Cereza's hands in her own.

"Girl, you know I got you,"

* * *

Luca stepped out of the training room, not very proud of his accomplishments. He was barely able to hit the targets, even with the scope, and those targets were holding still. If he wanted to hit his eventual rivals in future Turf Wars, he was gonna need a LOT of practice.

He was currently resting on the steps of the Turf War building. Looking out over the sea of people wandering around. His thoughts were scanning over every match he had watched his dad play. How'd he shoot so straight.? His movements were minimal yet the results were max. Maybe he could ask his dad to give him some pointers.

"There's a thinking face if I ever saw one," Luca jumped at the voice as he turned to see Sebastian standing over him, smile plastered on his face. The first thought that crossed his mind was 'was him popping up on him gonna be a common occurrence?' Luca grew a smile not too different from his new friend as he stood up.

"Well I have a little something on my mind," He said giving the Inkling boy a fist bump as he rested his Splatterscope on his shoulder. He tried to rest it as smoothly as his father did his E-Liter, but the weapon's weight slid off his shoulder, causing him to stumble in order to keep it from hitting the ground. Sebastian chuckled at his clumsiness.

"Don't we all. So, I see you got yourself a new weapon," Luca tried to laugh off his embarrassment as he righted his weapon.

"Yeah. I wanted to practice a charger like my dad," Sebastian let out a 'hmph' as he looked over the hybrid boy.

"Must be nice having that father son bond," Luca's smile faltered at the tone Sebastian's voice took, even though the boy's smile didn't budge an inch. Luca tried to resist the urge but curiosity got too much for him.

"Are you not on good terms with your father?" Sebastian simply shrugged before changing the subject.

"Are you a game boy? We can go back to my place and play a few," Without waiting for a response, Sebastian turned around and presumably began walking towards his home. He paused and looked over his shoulder. "Come on. It's not too far. And if you're lucky, you'll get to see Senia," The Inkling gave a suggestive smirk before turning around and continuing to walk.

All of his actions only made Luca more curious about his friend's father's identity. He slowly stepped forward and walked behind the boy in deep thought and silence.

* * *

Inkay laid in the same bed he had been in all day. He had been drifting in and out of sleep with occasional visits from a doctor or two. The ache in his body was mostly gone now and he could move more freely without regretting the action. Right now he was awake but was resting his eyes. You can only stare at a white ceiling so much before you go insane.

The door to the room opened and Inkay glanced towards it, expecting another doctor. When he was greeted with the worried glance of his wife, he shot up onto his elbows.

"Cerata? What are you doing here?" The Octoling practically ran to her significant other and threw her arms around his neck. He of course returned the gesture and wrapped an arm around her waist in a tight hug.

"You think I'm gonna get a call saying my husband, and father of my two children was hospitalized and I not show up?" She pulled back just enough to look into those beautiful purple eyes she loved so much. She let her hand trace the back of his head and rest on his cheek. "I'm so glad you're okay,"

Inkay raised his free hand to rest on hers. He returned her smile and rested his forehead against hers, staring into the most beautiful shade of green this world has ever seen. Cerata smiled and out of force of habit, and because she wanted it, pressed her lips against Inkay. It was a slow, caring kiss that put them both at ease. Cerata cupped Inkay's cheek as he gently ran his thumb over her knuckles.

Lost in the moment, Cerata was now sitting on the bed next to her husband. The only reason she wasn't in his lap was in fear he may still be in an unstable condition. Pulling apart, they once again rested their foreheads on one another and simply enjoyed the embrace. This was their favorite anytime position. The closeness and the beautiful eyes of the other always served to relieve all stress.

"So what kicked your butt? I heard even Kelp came back all banged up," Inkay sighed, moving his hand from his wife's side to her leg. He explained what happened to him and his partner the night before, Cerata listening intently the entire time. When he finished, everything was quiet. Cerata slowly pulled herself up from Inkay, dusting her legs off with a challenging smirk already on her face.

"Alright then. Next time you go out on a mission, I'm going too," Inkay's eyes widened as he quickly shook his head.

"Oh no. No no no no. We can't both go out on missions. Especially one as dangerous as this. What about Luca and Cereza? If something happens to both of us-"

"Nothing is gonna happen," Cerata laughed. "We're both going to be fine. We've trained for this. Besides, I've had to sit out for two pregnancies and only work on the political stuff while they were growing. I'm long due for some action,"

"It's too dangerous. Kelp and I both could barely land a finger on the guy,"

"Which is why you need me. Need I remind you that I won every training challenge we had?" Cerata's challenging smile turned into a cocky one as she rested her hands on her hips and leaned a bit. Inkay sighed and rolled his eyes as Cerata chuckled at the action.

"No you do not need to remind me. But I still don't know if you should,"

"That's ok, because I'm not asking. Besides, you're comparing you and Kelp to you and me? You may have known Kelp longer," Cerata leaned in, placing a hand on the opposite side of Inkay's body and walking her fingers up Inkay's still bare chest as her smile turned seductive. "But you and I have _chemistry,"_ She let her index finger glide under Inkay's chin, guiding his mouth towards hers but didn't actually kiss him.

Inkay felt his cheeks heat up. Along with other body parts. She always knew exactly what to say and _how_ to say it to make a simple sentence agonizingly sexy. He couldn't help but return her smile with a smirk of his own.

"Why do you have to make everything in my life so hard?"

"We both like it that way,"

* * *

"This is where you live?" Luca looked at the two story brick building they were now standing in front of. It was a lot bigger than his own house and seemed to glow for some reason. Sebastian nodded and stepped up on the porch. He leaned over towards a large frog statue by the door, opening it up and pulling out a key. He placed the key in the door and unlocked it before putting it back. Sebastian walked in, guiding Luca behind him.

"Welcome to my humble abode," Sebastian said gesturing to the place. He guided Luca to the living room while the hybrid looked around. The place was practically spotless, with countless knick knacks and do-dads littered about. There were a few pieces of art on the walls here and there, but never a picture of family. With a place this big, Luca expected at least one family portrait. Alas, there were none.

"So do you and you sister live here with your parents?" Sebastian walked to the TV and plopped to his knees and began searching through the drawer underneath it.

"I live here with my little sister and big brother. Dad practically lives at work," Sebastian answered without looking back. He moved to placing cords where they needed to be behind the TV.

"What about your mom?"

"Who?" Luca was silent at the statement. Did Sebastian not know his own mother? That had to be rough. He silently stared as Sebastian worked on the TV.

"So what do you want to play? I have Super Squid Bros for SquiU. Or we can play Super Squid Bros Melee on the Octocube if you're one of _those_ people. Or we can play something else entirely if you would prefer," He looked back at Luca with a smile as the hybrid thought it over.

"We can do the SquiU one. I like it better," Sebastian smiled as he set up the game. Connecting the controllers and gesturing for Luca to sit anywhere, he prepped up the game.

"Alright. Let's settle it in Squid Bros!" The two played several rounds of the game, each becoming more and more salty as this or that happened. But the room was still filled with lighthearted fun and playful banter. They were at it for about an hour and a half before the phone rang. Luca turned towards Sebastian but the Inkling didn't move any muscle that didn't affect the game before him.

"You gonna answer that?"

"Give it a second," After about the fourth ring, a voice came through a speaker.

 _Call from: Father_

Luca straightened up at the voice, and if he was looking at Sebastian, he would've notice that the Inkling's smile faltered greatly. By the time Luca looked at him, he had righted it if only slightly. Sebastian set his controller down and stood up. Luca studied his face and found it obvious that the smile he wore was incredibly forced.

"Yeah I'm gonna go get that. It may take awhile, so, you're welcome to play, uh, anything else you want, so…yeah," Sebastian power walked to next room over. The refrigerator seen in the door gave off the room Sebastian disappeared into as the kitchen. Luca sat staring at the doorway for a moment before turning his head towards the TV. Sebastian hadn't even bothered to pause the game.

Luca's thoughts traveled back to Sebastian's father. The man had to be a terrifying individual for Sebastian to react like that. Was he an abusive father? His dad was always kind and if anything too heroic. He knew that abusive parents were a thing but for some reason he didn't expect one to be so close.

He originally planned to just wait for Sebastian to return, but the call lasted longer than he thought. He scooted further and began looking trough the other games that the boy had. He had found one that had caught his attention when something else stole it away. It was a sound. A beautiful sound.

He turned towards the kitchen and noticed it wasn't coming from there. So where was it coming from? He stood to his feet and began wandering around, playing a game of Hot and Cold with the sound until he could pinpoint it. He reached a set of stairs, noticing the sound was coming from upstairs. He looked around to see if Sebastian was returning, and when he saw he hadn't he began the trek upstairs.

Once he reached the top, his theories of the origin of the sound were confirmed as he heard the voice accompanied to it. An angelic melody that practically had him in a trance.

" _I must become a lion hearted girl. Ready for a fight. Before I make the final sacrifice."_

He walked passed a few doors before coming to the one that the music was coming from. It was a large room to say the least. This room alone was about three times the size of his room back home. A scan around it showed that though it did have a bed and what seemed to be a closet, it was mostly filled with musical instruments, the one currently being played was a large piano on the back wall. The piano had multiple levels. The owner of the room sat with her back to the door, her fingers expertly dancing over the keys. Currently, the owner's fingers only worked on the bottom levels.

" _We raise it up, this offering we raise it up,"_

Slowly and hypnotically, the owner's tentacles moved out and upward like a show was about to begin before playing the upper levels, her music picking up in pace.

" _And in the spring, I shed my skin. And it blows away with the changing winds. The waters turn from blue to red, as towards the sky I offer it. This is a gift! It comes with a price! Who is the lamb, and who is the knife? Midas is king, and he holds me so tight, and turns me to gold in the sunlight!"_

The song coming to a close, the tune slowly died down as the singer's tentacles slowly returned to their sides.

" _Cause this is a gift,"_

Luca found himself staring as the figure slowly moved their hands to the lap, their tentacles slowly moving up and wrapping around their head once again. Luca took in every movement the figure took as she straightened up, looking forward and possibly contemplating their latest performance.

"Heheh. Don't you know it's frowned upon to spy on a girl in her room?" Luca froze as the person spoke to him. At first his mouth opened and closed like a fish out of water, trying to find a reasonable excuse. But of course, none came. Slowly, Senia, turned in her seat to stand. She wasn't facing the door, but her voice seemed to project directly towards it. "Well? Are you coming in or not?"

Luca's mind had been scrambled by the two sentences. He tried to form a coherent apology yet somehow his legs worked better than his mind as they moved him forward. Senia began walking towards the entrance to her room, stepping around the table and over miscellaneous objects. She stopped about halfway to the door so Luca stopped a bit in front of her, words finally being able to escape his throat.

"How do you know I'm not a burglar or something?" Ok, probably not the best set of words, but they came out. Senia raised a dainty hand to her lips and giggled, returning it to rest in front of her other on her dress.

"Well, I heard you when my younger brother brought you in. I know he's still on the phone with father, and I heard your footsteps when you started coming up stairs. They matched the ones from when you came in," Luca was amazed if there wasn't a simpler reason and she hadn't just made that up. But she had to be making it up. No one can hear _that_ good. Right?

"Is that really how you know?" Senia giggled again, the sound now etched in Luca's memory.

"Well when you can't rely on your eyes, your other senses have to make up for it," Luca simply looked on in awe. Then his mind registered something she said that didn't add up with his current knowledge.

"Wait, Sebastian told me that you were his little sister," Senia's shoulders slumped as she let out an annoyed sigh. She brought a hand to her head and rubbed her temple as if the statement gave her a headache.

"I swear, he always…by 'little', he means physically. I mean I'm not exactly the tallest Inkling. But age wise, I'm older than him," It was true, Senia was pretty short. The top of her head barely reached Luca's chin.

"So, how old are you?" Senia giggled again as she looked at him with a smirk.

"It is also rude to ask a woman her age. But, since I'm in the prime of my youth I guess I can tell you that I am sixteen years old," Two years older than him? Wow. "And in case you're wondering, Sebastian is fifteen," For the umpteenth time, Luca stared on in awe. Awe suddenly turned to another type of interest as he scanned over her body. She was barefoot and wearing a loose fitting white night gown. He looked over her form about three times when she crossed her arms. "You wouldn't happen to be staring at me, would you?" Luca grew several shades darker and averted his eyes, the fact that she couldn't see whether he continued or not flying over his head.

"O-of course not! I was just…admiring your room…This is your room right? It could be a music room," Senia seemed to pout a bit before resting her hands in front of her again.

"No no. This is my room. All the instruments in here are mine. I've of course mastered them all. I simply _love_ making music," She emphasized the words by doing a small twirl where she stood, ending it with a bright smile. "Do you play any instruments?" Luca shook his head before realizing once again that she couldn't see his gestures.

"No. I'm not the musical type,"

"Well I'm sure if you learned, you and I could make beautiful music together," She intertwined her fingers and brought them to her face, Luca swallowing at the statement before trying to calm himself.

"I'm sure your music would be a lot more beautiful without me. I-it already is,"

"How kind of you to say. I don't mind either way. I like being watched," Was it getting hot in here? Or was it just Luca? "I may not be able to see, but I can feel people's eyes on me. It gives me this sense of pride. People with this gift are willing to use precious moments of their lives to use it on me," Luca looked over this angelic innocence in front of him and his heart fluttered. She seemed to be taking the best of everything. She didn't seem to have a negative thought in her head. The white dress she wore and the white of her tentacles seeming to only prove her purity. "Oh silly me. I haven't even introduced myself," Senia took the edges of her blouse and gave Luca a short curtsy. "My name is Senia. What a pleasure to meet you," Snapping out of his trance, Luca hastily gave a reply.

"My name's Luca. But, my friends call me Luke," Senia's hand came to her mouth as if slightly surprised.

"Luca? As in son of famous Leviathan and Cerata Luca?" Of course his parents' reputation proceeds him. He gave a small yeah as Senia grew a large smile. "Oh, what are the odds?" Senia stepped forward, completely bursting the bubble of his personal space and causing him to step back. She extended her hands so both hovered over both of his cheeks, pausing before smiling innocently. "May I? Hearing only does so much, but this gives me the best 'picture' of you," Luca's could feel the heat rising to his cheeks again as he stuttered out a yes.

Senia's smile widened as she slowly placed her hands on Luca's face. Her touch was gentle, yet calculated. Quick but not rushed. Her caresses over his face were so soft he wouldn't know she had actually started touching him if he wasn't looking directly at him. Her fingers daintily ran over his chin and up his cheek. Over his nose and out to his ears. The smile on her face was replaced with a neutral expression, as if she was really focusing.

" _I_ can call you Luke, right?" She practically whispered, the sound sending a shiver up Luca's back.

"S-s-sure," Senia got even closer, stretching to run her hands over his head and to the tentacles tied to the back of it. She ran her fingers over each one, gently squeezing occasionally before moving to the next one. An occasional twitch or whimper would escape Luca's mouth as her small hands caressed over the sensitive parts of his tentacles. He could swear that either time he did either of the things, she would return to the spot and apply just a little more pressure.

If the physical assault wasn't enough for his senses, Senia's face was right before his, her practically pressed up against him as his only option was to stare at the tentacles covering her eyes. He could shut his own, but that just made every one of her butterfly touches scream out more and he'd lose control if that kept up.

And the smell. She smelled liked peaches, and the fragrance over ran his nose the longer she stayed so close. His senses were being completely overrun by everything this girl was doing.

Finally, her fingers brushed over the tip of the last of his tentacles, running back down towards his head and cupping his cheeks. Thinking it was over, Luca found himself wrong as further down her hands went, fingers tracing over the contours of his neck. Her left hand stayed there while her right traveled further down, resting on his chest as her head turned down towards her limb, a smirk crossing her face.

"My my. Your heart is really beating isn't it?" She asked playfully. Luca's face heated up as his heart rate increased even more. "Are you nervous? Or, have you just never been touched so much?" Luca was reduced to a stuttering mess, unable to form a coherent sentence or even move away from the girl's hands. He stood rigidly as the delicate touches of the Inkling in front of him made his mind go numb. Her face turned upwards towards him, the tentacles concealing her eyes moving away, Luca immediately getting lost in them.

Senia's left hand moved further up, once again cupping his cheek as her right hand remained over his heart. Senia's smile softened as she seemed to lean even further into Luca's personal bubble. His eyes were stuck staring into hers as his body stood rigid.

"Would you like to _see_ me?" Any coherent word that may have been trying to find a way out in Luca's head was immediately shattered. His eyes widened as Senia seemed to be leaning in towards him. He was positive that if his heart was to beat any faster, he would keel over where he stood.

"Ahem," Luca's head snapped to the door with such speeds that if he had bones they probably would've snapped. In the doorway Sebastian stood, arms crossed, leaning against the doorframe with a smile that screamed 'I got you.' "When I said 'you might even get to see Senia', I didn't think you'd take it so serious,"

"When I didn't acknowledge your presence, I thought that would've been enough of a cue for you not to make yourself known," Senia said, her tentacles returning to her eyes as she slowly dragged her fingers off of Luca. A huge wave of disappointment washing over him.

"And what exactly do you think you're doing sis?"

"I was just teasing and having a little fun. It's not like we have a lot of guests over," She said innocently.

"Well don't tease my friend. I'm sure he has enough on his plate," Senia's smile said she had a retort to that, but she didn't say anything. Luca stood frozen, not exactly sure what to do in this situation. "Come on Luca. We can continue our game," Luca finally moved, glancing over to Senia before back to Sebastian.

"R-right," Senia slowly clapped her hands together twice

"Goodbye Luke. Come and see me again sometime," Face completely flushed, Luca held his head towards the ground as he passed Sebastian.

"Y-yeah. Sure," Sebastian watched as the boy scurried passed him before looking back at his sister. The two stood in silence for a moment. Just standing there. Sebastian let out a 'hmph' before pushing himself off the doorframe and closing the door to Senia's room, Senia chuckling as she turned to find an instrument to play.

* * *

Callie and Marie, or currently Agents 1 and 2, moved through the hallway, currently looking over new papers that came up regarding the disappearances. They walked to a certain door before pausing. They stacked the papers together before pushing the door open.

It was a large room with a circular table. Though the room was large enough to seat a lot of people, the only other person in the room was an older Octoling male sitting on the far end. His tentacles seemed to be graying only slightly as he laid his head in his hands.

"Ahem," Agent 2 made their presence known and the Octoling raised his head, slowly opening his eyes and showing the dull red glow of them.

"Mr. Apalo sir. You requested us?" The Octoling sat up, sitting straight in his seat as he nodded slightly.

"Yes. I've heard about what happened to our two best agents. Tell me, are they okay?" Agents 1 and 2 both nodded, 1 speaking up next.

"Yes sir. Both Agents 3 and 4 have stabilized and are currently resting. We are trying to find out what could have possibly damaged them the way they were," Apalo slowly nodded and closed his eyes.

"And if the report I read was correct, both Kelp and Inkay explained that their weapons seemed to have no affect on the attacker?"

"Affirmative," Apalo rubbed his eyes and his head as he took a deep breath.

"I tried so hard…"

"What was that sir?"

"I didn't want to get involved much with the secret agents, as secrets don't bode well for keeping a good eye with the public, but if our best agents are having trouble, it seems I have no choice," Apalo stood up, his eyes now burning a bright red.

"It's too dangerous to waste time and sneak our way around this. I will gather a force and publicly join the investigation,"

* * *

 **And yet another chapter down. How are you all enjoying the story so far? Hopefully a lot.**

 **So Inkay and Kelp almost died it seems. And a drastic measure is all that kept them alive. Shows that sometimes you just have to roll the dice and hope it comes out right.**

 **In Cereza's story, she seems to be preparing for a date with the Octoling boy Matzuo. It also shows that she cares really deeply for her two friends, and seems to hold her little brother up on a pedestal.**

 **As for her little brother, he got to play a few games with his new friend Sebastian, as well as get toyed with by Sebastian's older little sister. I'm sure he wasn't expecting anything that happened.**

 **And finally, Apalo will be joining in on the investigation. You guys from Octo Colors will remember Apalo as the red eyed bad guy who turned good at the end of the first story to help lead the two species to peace. He's chosen to risk riling up the public so that they can be aware of the things going on. What do you guys think of that?**

 **Everything happens for a reason, and little things you may have overlooked may come back in the future. I like to drop hints at what the ending will be as I go along.**

 **Anyway, next time, we'll see how Cereza's date goes, Inkay is released from the hospital and gets a visit from Apalo, and Luca gets to know a little more about both Sebastian and Senia.**

 **Also my senses are saying a lemon may or may not be involved in one of those stories. Unless you guys would prefer I leave it out. Voice your opinions in the reviews.**

 **Thank you all for reading, and a special thanks to those who reviewed the last chapter(and pointed out my mistakes. I am a human prepping to go back to college so things are getting hectic). Until next time,**

 **Astalabyebye,**

 **Bang**


	5. Touchy Subjects

Cereza stood in front of the full body mirror in Em's room. She had a mirror in her room, but it wasn't big enough to see her entire being at once. She rarely dressed to impress, thus didn't really need one. Unlike her Octoling roommate. So for now, she would borrow her friend's. She looked over the outfit she wore and smiled to herself, a slight blush to her face.

She was wearing a light pink spaghetti strap dress with a small, mid-length blue camisole over it. The dress came down to around mid-thigh and with frills around the inside edges, while the camisole reached down to her elbows and had a thin light purple ribbon holding it together where her collarbone would be. If she had bones that is. She had her four tentacles tied into two twirls framing her face with a bit of glitter, making the edges sparkle.

"You sure the glitter isn't too much? I mean…I like it but I don't wanna blind the guy…" Em sat on her bed with her legs crossed, her chin resting on her fist as she eyed the hybrid girl from behind. A devious smirk ran across the Octoling's face as Cereza turned towards her with a look of nervousness in her eyes.

"You look great! It's bright and colorful, just like your personality. Yet it's cool and relaxed, like you didn't try too hard,"

"And the glitter?"

"Well you gotta dazzle em don't ya?" Cereza chuckled as she looked at her reflection once again. She moved around and looked at herself from different angles. The outfit did make her look cute, and the glitter seemed to bring attention to her eyes. In her opinion. She smiled and turned towards Em.

"Ok. I think I'm ready," Em stood up and grasped her friend's hands in hers, returning Cereza's smile with her own.

"I'm so excited for you girl! I'm sure it's going to go great! I only have one concern," Cereza's smile faltered for a moment as she tilted her head to the side. "What am I gonna do while you're gone!?" The Octoling playfully pouted and childishly bounced in place. Cereza laughed and tried to calm her friend down.

"Well what do you usually do when I'm gone?"

"Wait for you to get back,"

"Oh stop that. Why don't you facetime Elliot while I'm gone?" Em let go of Cereza's hands and crossed her arms, an actual disappointed look on her face.

"Because he never talks to me long. He's practically always working and has to go almost immediately after picking up. It leaves me missing him more and more and makes me feel more lonely," Cereza brought her friend into a side hug and gave her a smile.

"Don't worry about it. He'll be back later this week right? Then you can talk, and cuddle, and whatever else you nasty people do," Em smirked at Cereza as the hybrid gave a toothy smile.

"Well…alright. I guess I can last one more week," There was a light buzzing sound as Cereza quickly released her friend and pulled out her phone. Her smile widened again as she turned towards her friend.

"He just made it outside,"

* * *

Inkay was sitting in the middle of the hospital bed with his legs crossed. Cerata sat behind him, her legs resting on either side of him while her fingers delicately traced over his back. Inkay's eyes were closed as Cerata's were a bit focused. She eyed the many scars and burn marks on her lover's hide. She could never get over just how many there were. She constantly wished there was a way she could've prevented the torture that caused them, but Inkay had told her time and time again that she didn't have to feel bad about them.

She of course still did, but she had learned to not get as emotional enough to cry over them. She continued to run fingers along Inkay's back, the Inkling letting out a pleased hum at her touch. Cerata often found herself simply massaging Inkay's body when things got quiet. It was probably the guilt still eating away at her after all these years.

Or she just enjoyed his skin under her hands and the sound of his voice from her touch. Yeah that may be it. Cerata scooted closer, practically cradling Inkay as she gently placed her lips on his shoulder, peppering it slowly and softly with butterfly kisses.

"I love you," She whispered as Inkay leaned back into her touch.

"I love you too," The tender moment was ruined as the door was slowly pushed open. The couple looked over to see Agents 1 and 2 walking in. Cerata gave the two a smile and a wave as they returned it. "Do I have the alright to leave now?" Agent 2 stepped into the room while Agent 1 stayed in the door.

"You do, but first, there's someone here to talk with you," Cerata and Inkay shared a confused look as the agents stepped out of the way. Inkay's eyes widened slightly while Cerata quickly moved from behind Inkay. Through the door stepped a male Octoling, him slowly opening his red eyes as he paused after entering.

"M-Mr. Apalo, sir!" Cerata colored at being caught in such a position by her long time superior. Apalo grew a large smirk as his lidded eyes stared at the two. He chuckled lowly as his eyes scanned the couple.

"Please Cerata. You're a happily married woman with two kids. I'm sure there are more embarrassing things I could have walked in on," Both Inkay and Cerata colored a bit more as the two agents in the room giggled. Unless they were in a large meeting, Apalo always poked fun at the two like a father figure. Though Inkay and Cerata, mostly Inkay, tried to keep a completely professional relationship, Apalo seemed to try to be friendly with them. As much as a constantly working public figure can.

"I heard about your mission. I thought since I don't know Agent 4 as well, I'll get some extra information from you," Inkay nodded and uncrossed his legs, letting them dangle over the edge of the bed.

"Um, ok? What do you want to know?" Apalo stepped closer, stopping in front of Inkay.

"Agents 1 and 2 updated me on the outcome of the battle. I wish to know how the battle played out. Weapons, battle strategies, anything that could be helpful," Inkay tilted his head in thought before answering.

"He held two weapons I've never seen before. One was a shooter, and the other was a charger. And he fought very aggressively. He moved so fast, it was like I would blink and he would be in my face. Speaking of, he dodged most of the rapid fire of a shooter, _while_ running towards me. And if that's not bad enough, he was really resilient. He took a blaster and a fully charged E-Liter blast point blank and barely stumbled,"

"Are you saying the assailant has a resistance to ink?" Inkay nodded as Apalo furrowed his brow. "Hmm…If the attacker has a resistance to ink, this may pose a huge threat. That would mean the vast majority of our weapons will be useless…" Apalo stood in silence as all eyes in the room turned to him.

"Do you, have an idea, sir?" Agent 1 asked after a small pause. Apalo closed his eyes and gave a small nod.

"If our ink weapons aren't working, then maybe we should use a different type of weapon. One that I know Inkay is all too familiar with," Inkay tilted his head in confusion, but grew a bit nervous as he thought about it awhile.

"Are…you talking about the Gauntlets sir?" Cerata asked. If you looked closely, you could see Inkay visibly flinch at the name of the items. Apalo opened his eyes and nodded towards Cerata. "But I thought the production of them were discontinued after the truce,"

"It is. But I'm sure I can get a few sets for Agents 3 and 4. This is a very serious situation after all," Cerata nodded while Inkay took a deep breath. The only time he really had any interaction with the mentioned brand of weapon, they were causing him extreme bodily harm. Some of which he still had the occasional nightmare from.

"What about me? I'm going to join in the cause as well," Apalo looked over to Cerata silently for a moment before speaking up.

"Well…if you wish, I may still have Octameri's pair back at HQ. You can use those," Both Inkay and Cerata went wide eyed in surprised before looking at each other. Apalo had managed to retrieve Octameri's gauntlets? The two's emotions were on entirely different levels. Cerata was excited to have a memento of her sister, while Inkay personally didn't want to be anywhere near the items. Both immediately picked up on the others emotions, Cerata breaking eye contact first to look at Apalo.

"As tempting as that sounds, I think I'll take a new set," Apalo nodded as he crossed his arms.

"Alright. I'll send in the calls to have some made. I'll be sure to inform you when they're ready. Now if you'll excuse me, I have some, unfortunate, news to prepare and give the public," The group watched as Apalo began his trek out of the room. He closed the door behind him and Agents 1 and 2 looked at Inkay and Cerata.

"So? What are you two gonna do now?" Inkay opened his mouth to say something, but was cut off as Cerata placed her arm around his neck.

"We're gonna do some extra training," She said with a large smile.

* * *

" _Making everything so hype, when the fight, rises to another level, characters are amplified, by the smash ball! And if you collect it before I might, I'll turn off every item and light up the salt that I supply!"_

"Haha! Dude, though awesome, your singing is distracting,"

" _Who you gonna pick? Tell me who it is. Is it Pit, Pacman, Palutena, or the SquiFit Trainer?"_

 _GAME!_

"God dangit dude!" Luca laughed as Sebastian raised his hands in victory. "You know that's considered cheating in some places right?" Sebastian chuckled and gave Luca a cocky smirk.

"It's not my fault you can't multitask and game while listening to my sweet lyrics," Sebastian stuck his tongue out as Luca laughed again.

"Whatever man. This time I'm totally gonna kick your butt," Sebastian chuckled as the two prepared to start another game. The two selected their characters and began discussing which stage to fight on when they were interrupted by a small beeping noise coming from the kitchen.

"What's that?" Luca questioned as Sebastian stood up.

"Oh, it's just an alarm. Sis and I have to take some meds," The Inkling boy began walking towards the kitchen, pausing at the door. "How rude of me. You're my guest and I haven't even offered you anything. Would you like something to drink? Snack on, anything?"

"Well, I could go for a drink," Luca said standing and walking towards Sebastian. Sebastian smiled and went further into the kitchen.

"Hey sis! It's time for-"

"Yes, I know, I know. I heard the alarm," Senia said as she stepped through the opposite door.

"Of course you did," Sebastian chuckled. He walked over to the cabinet and opened it up before searching around inside. "You can check the fridge for anything you want Luca. Help yourself," Luca nodded and turned towards the fridge. Pulling the door open, he tilted his head at the sight.

"Um…Sebastian? Why is there ink on everything?" Everything in the fridge had a line or circle of a different color and shade of ink. Just a small stripe wrapping over or around it or a circle on the top.

"Oh. That's just uh, little decorating quirk I have. For my big bro," He said quickly, taking what he needed from the cabinet and shutting it. "Anyway, here's yours sis," Senia held her hand out and Sebastian placed a bottle into it. The two clicked bottles and paused. "Well. Over the fangs and past the gums,"

"Look out stomach, here it comes," They both took a quick swig of the medicine, both taking a face of disgust immediately afterwards. "It never gets better does it brother?" Senia asked, her face still contorted in disgust.

"No it does not sister. No it does not," her brother answered shaking his head. Senia held her medicine back out for him to take and he put them back in the cabinet.

"Luke darling, would you mind passing me a grape soda from the fridge?" Luca had pulled out a can of root beer for himself and scanned around for the mentioned beverage.

"Ah. Here it is," Luca grabbed the can and closed the refrigerator, noticing a small circle of purple ink around the top of the can. Senia held out her hand and waited patiently for the drink to be placed there. Luca approached the Inkling girl, giving cautious glances to Sebastian as if he had did some great wrong to him. He placed the can in Senia's hand and gave a big smile.

"Thank you darling," She purred. She opened the can and took a long swig, a happy hum escaping her throat. "A much better taste than before," Sebastian chuckled and got a drink of his own out of the frig.

"If you guys don't mind, what's the medicine for?" The siblings stood silently. Sebastian stole a glance towards Senia, and her response was to simply continue staring forward. It was more than obvious to Luca that he hit a touchy subject. He was about to retract the question when Sebastian spoke up.

"It deals with a….birth defect sis and I have. It's really embarrassing. So…we'd rather not talk about it…" Luca gave a nervous nod.

"Oh. Sorry. I didn't mean to hit a sensitive area…" Sebastian and Senia grew different levels of smiles. Senia slowly wrapped her tentacles around her head while Sebastian chuckled.

"Thanks for understanding," Luca nodded and gave the siblings a smile of his own.

"Nah, it's cool. I sorta know how it feels to be born with a defect,"

"Surely you don't mean your tentacles," Senia said, slowly bringing her drink from her lips. Sebastian let out a soft 'hmph' as his smile turned into a smirk. Senia slowly ran a hand from her head down the back of her head and rested them on the smaller tentacles there. "I wish my tentacles came out like that. I'm pretty sure I could be a one woman band if that were the case,"

"Yeah buddy. In terms of defects, you got off easy," Luca chuckled softly, his hand running down his main tentacles much like his father. "Anyway, you wanna get back to our game Luca?" Luca smiled and gave the Inkling boy a smile.

"Of course," Sebastian stepped forward and Senia chuckled.

"Boys and their video games," Sebastian and Luca stopped, a playful smirk on both of their faces.

"And what's that supposed to mean?" Luca questioned.

"Oh nothing. I just never _saw_ the appeal of them is all," Luca gave a small laugh as Sebastian rolled his eyes, smirk never leaving his face.

"I see what you did there,"

"And I heard what you did there," Luca's face colored slightly as Sebastian simply watched the exchange. Senia walked towards the two boys. They stepped out of her way as she didn't even pause as she stepped towards the living room. "It's not everyday we have such a playful guest. I'm sure _Luke,_ wouldn't mind if I stick around for a moment. Right Luke?" Senia paused and tilted her head like she was looking over her shoulder.

Luca felt a familiar warmth coming to his cheeks as he chuckled nervously, glancing over to Sebastian as if for permission, who simply shrugged.

"Of course I don't mind,"

"Excellent," Senia smiled as she turned forward. "I'll let you finish your games now, but perhaps in a bit we'll play something we can all enjoy,"

* * *

Cereza was walking besides Matzuo, trying to contain her excitement for how the day would play out. The two originally planned to just pick up something to eat at a cafe and chat there. Matzuo however decided to add something a little extra. Instead of eating at the cafe, they picked up some food and went out to the local park for a picnic.

They were currently walking there, Matzuo carrying their bag of goodies while Cereza silently walked besides him. Though quiet, it wasn't that awkward. Cereza, somehow, gave off enough energy for it not to be.

Once they reached their destination, they had a playful back and forth on where they should set up. They finally decided to set up under a tree with a view of the lake, but nowhere close to it. Matzuo handed Cereza the bag as he set up the blanket. Once finished, the two took a seat, Cereza handing Matzuo his order.

The two sat in silence for a moment and nibbled at there food. The silence slowly turned awkward the longer it went on. Both parties knew they had to say _something_ , but couldn't quite figure out what. After a while and half a sandwich later, Matzuo gave the first word.

"So, those friends of yours. How long have you known them?" Cereza's eyes practically lit up as she thought back to it, a smile creeping onto her face.

"Well, I've known Wakame since I was a stage one. My mom and dad are close friends to his mom and dad, and my parents had a lot of things to take care of when I was little. So often, his mom would babysit us, or my aunt would do the job," Cereza let out a fond chuckle. "My mom said I knew how to say Wakame's name before I knew how to say my own," Matzuo laughed at the fun fact as Cereza looked at him with a smile. "Though that was just because we spent a lot of time close to each other. We weren't really close personally until awhile after we had both taken our forms,"

"Well where does that Em girl fit in all this?" Cereza's face took a more somber smile as she gave her explanation.

"Em and I became friends not too long ago. She, uh…helped me out with something," Matzuo tilted his head, curiosity peaking in his mind.

"Is it too personal to talk about?" Cereza was silent for a moment, her hand easing up to rub her arm as she looked away.

"Y-yeah. Brings back really bad memories. Maybe some other time," Matzuo gently placed his hand on Cereza's. Cereza's cheeks flushed a light shade of fuchsia as her eyes traveled to the hand resting on hers, up the arm and resting on the bright gold of his eyes. He gave her a comforting smile that made her blush darken and returned one of her own. "Do you have any close friends?"

Matzuo leaned back, keeping his hand resting on hers and let out a sigh.

"Nah. I just moved to Inkopolis recently," Cereza's eyes sparkled having never ventured far from the city she was born in. A tsunami of questions popped into her head but she controlled herself and sent them out one at a time.

"That's pretty cool! Where are you from?"

"Oh, I, uh, used to live on the islands,"

"The islands?!" Cereza squealed, her other hand now resting on his as she leaned forward. "I've always wanted to go visit the islands! What's it like?" Matzuo chuckle nervously, scratching his head under the hybrid's gaze.

"Well, I had a great ocean view," Cereza laughed as she calmed down, smiling brightly at the Octoling boy.

"Did you have any siblings?" Matzuo gazed into the distance while Cereza waited patiently for an answer.

"I have a pretty big family, so I have quite a few siblings,"

"Well, what are they like?" Matzuo paused for a moment.

"Honestly, I'm not that close to many of them. The one I'm closest to is my older brother, and he's kind of a prick. He's so full of himself and seems to have this superiority complex over everything. Like he's always trying to prove he's perfect at everything," Cereza tilted her head, her face turning to something more sympathetic.

"If he's such a jerk, why do you know him better than your other siblings?"

"Well, we were all home schooled. Father gave us different lessons at different times and most of my lessons were alongside my older brother. I, rarely really saw my younger siblings,"

"...It must be hard. I'm really close to my little brother,"

"Really now?" Cereza grew a warm smile as she looked out over the lake.

"Yeah. He tries to act all indifferent, but I know he's really loyal, and caring, and he'll always have my back. I know I can depend on him," Matzuo smiled at the girl gazing into the distance in front of him. A warm feeling spread through his chest and he grew a bright smile.

"It must be nice,"

"Hmm?"

"We should hurry and finish. The movie will be starting soon. You don't want to miss it do you?" Cereza quickly shook her head and took a large bite of her croissant, earning a bright laugh from Matzuo.

* * *

Inkay stood straight, flexing his fingers as his eyes scanned over the digits. He was no longer in the hospital room, but instead in a special training room. Unlike the training spots behind Sheldon's store, this place had a bunch of obstacles designed to test one's physical abilities over their aim. Walls covered in changeable ink to practice swimming up, large punching bags in both corners, and an actual obstacle course that stretched from the first punching bag, around the back wall to the other.

And in the middle of the room was a large sparring circle. In the middle of which was where Inkay stood. He threw a few practice jabs, bringing his shoulders in and his body defended. Every since the whole ordeal with Octameri turning his body into an Inkling punching bag, Inkay practiced his hand to hand combat a lot more, having never practiced anything other than his shooting skills before.

He stood in a black muscle shirt and shorts with a turquoise line running down the side. He honestly wasn't surprised he stepped out of the hospital and came straight to the training room. Even if Cerata encouraged it, he figured he had to get stronger in order to properly use the gauntlets.

Another shiver ran down his nonexistent spine at the thought of the weapon. He shook it off and continued throwing quick jabs towards his imaginary opponent, ducking and swaying to avoid attacks thrown at him. Making swift movements with both his hands and feet. His eyes were narrowed in a determined glare as he dashed around and fought with his invisible adversary. He pictured the assailant. How quick he moved and pushed himself to match him step for step.

"Working up a sweat?" Inkay's head snapped towards the voice. Cerata stood there with a smile, one arm hanging loosely while the other rested on her hip. She wore the standard Octoling tights and black tank top as Inkay stood up straight with a smirk.

"Oh yeah. Care to join me?" Cerata practically strutted towards Inkay, walking past him and standing on the opposite end of the circle.

"I mean, I don't know if you can handle it. I wouldn't want to hurt you," Inkay let out a scoff as he lowered himself into a battle position. Cerata smirking and getting into one of her own.

"You couldn't if you tried," Cerata scoffed this time. Right before she rushed forward. She threw her knee towards Inkay's head, the Inkling raising his hands to block the attack. Not holding off the assault, Cerata threw her elbow down over Inkay's makeshift shield. Inkay responded by stepping to the side, dodging the attack before sending a right hook towards Cerata's arm.

The Octoling easily blocked the attack with her hand, throwing a straight jab towards Inkay. Inkay barely dodged the punch, a smirk crossing his face as he wrapped a tentacle around Cerata's limb. Cerata's eyes widened as Inkay wrapped a leg around hers and gave a hard shove to Cerata's chest with his shoulder. The Octoling crashed to the ground with Inkay following close behind, pinning her with a victorious smirk.

"Pinned ya,"

"Mhmm," Cerata smiled back. "But the fight's not over yet," Cerata threw a quick knee to Inkay's stomach, pushing the ball of her hand into his chest and effectively pushing him off. She twirled on the ground before jumping to her feet. Inkay chuckled as he charged back into the fight.

The couple charged back into the fray, exchanging what, in this room, they considered love taps. The two enjoyed training together. For Cerata, she got to utterly dominate her husband. Not so much as when they started this type of training, but enough to have something to brag about. For Inkay, he would admit that it helped toughen him up. Octolings' training regiments were a bit more…harsh, for lack of a better word. And Cerata held nothing back when they stepped into their training gear.

The two sparred and wrestled for awhile. They broke apart and went back to the neutral space, eyeing down their opponent. They both breathed heavily as the workout was taking its toll. Inkay eyed Cerata, noticing a shimmering trail of sweat rolling down her cheek and down her neck. His eyes wandered down to see the way her chest slowly rose and sank with every breath.

"Hey, my eyes are up here," Cerata snapped Inkay out of his trance, him letting out a soft chuckle.

"Sorry about that," Inkay grew a devious smile as he slowly stood up straight. In a swift motion he discarded his muscle shirt, returning to his battle position. Cerata took a big inhale as she let her eyes wander. She subconsciously bit her lip as she eyed her husband almost exactly as he eyed her. "Hey, my eyes are up here,"

Cerata's eyes shot up to a smirking Inkay as she gave a playful pout.

"That's cheating and you know it!"

"Oh yeah? What are you gonna do about it?"

Cerata licked her lips.

* * *

Matzuo and Cereza stood outside the movie theater looking at the movies that were currently available. Matzuo stood with his head tilted slightly to the side while Cereza had a finger to her lip in thought.

"So what do you think we should watch?" Matzuo asked turning his head towards his date.

"Hmm… I heard that Wiener Party is pretty good," The Octoling boy let out a quick laugh before catching himself. Cereza looked up at him with a raised eyebrow and a smirk. "What?"

"Nothing. I just didn't think you'd pick that movie,"

"Well what did you think I'd pick?" Matzuo looked over the movies while making a low hum.

"I don't know…something…like that," Cereza followed Matzuo's finger and let out a loud laugh.

"The Sketchbook?" Matzuo grew a smile and shrugged.

"Well yeah. Don't girls like things like that?"

"Well, some girls. What? Do you want to go see it?"

"Only if you want to see a grown man cry," The two laughed for a bit before Cereza spoke.

"As tempting as that sounds, I'll stick with Wiener Party,"

"Well, shall we be off?" Matzuo held out his elbow and Cereza gingerly took it in hers.

"Yes let's,"

* * *

"So sis, now that I've effectively kicked Luca's butt at Squid bros., what game are you thinking of playing?" The trio sat in the middle of the living room, proof of Sebastian previous win still gracing the TV screen.

"Well, since we are relatively new friends. I was just hoping to get to know Luke better. Don't you boys ever just sit down and talk?"

"Sorry sis, Luca and I have already gone through that phase of our relationship,"

"Then you can just sit and observe while we do it," Senia responded in her sweetest voice. Luca chuckled while Sebastian simply stared at his sister. "So Luke, I'm sure being one of two hybrids and the son of two celebrities, you're quite popular," Sebastian titled his head curiously as he saw Luca's shoulders slump slightly. The hybrid's gaze lowered towards the floor just a bit as the light in his eyes dimmed.

"Nah. I only really have one friend and he had to move out to Squidville awhile back. Well, there's also Echino, but he likes to stick to himself so, usually I can only hang with my parents and sister. So yeah, I don't have many friends,"

"How hurtful," Luca's head looked up towards Senia in confusion. He was greeted with her sitting in the perfect 'hurt damsel' position, head turned slightly away leaning on an arm while the other hand covered her mouth. Growing increasingly confused, Luca turned towards Sebastian for answers.

"You got us, don'tcha?" The edges of Sebastian's smile grew slightly as Luca noticeably lit up, but only for a moment before he contained himself. He smiled brightly at the two before nodding.

"Yeah, I guess I do,"

"No need to guess. We're friends now. We'll have to introduce you to our big brother at some point. It may be awhile. He tends to be away with work a lot,"

"What about your parents?" The question was aimed more at Senia, alright knowing a bit of how Sebastian felt about his parents. Though it was rude to pry, he was really curious on their family situation. He wasn't expecting Senia to answer so quickly.

"Our father is filthy scum and I'm devastated to share blood with him," The comment was quick and determined, yet Senia calmly sipped her drink immediately afterwards. Shocked by the outburst, Luca turned towards Sebastian, he seemed to be nervous at his sister's reaction and broke his gaze from Luca to instead stare at the wall to his right. Still curious, Luca turned back towards Senia and muttered out his next question.

"A-and your mom?"

"We don't have one," The answer was quick just like the previous. Sebastian shot his head towards Senia before hissing out a strained, "Sis!"

"Well we don't. I have no reason to lie to Luke," Luca turned back towards Sebastian to see one bead of sweat roll down his forehead, his smile, though strained, still on his face.

"W-well I would prefer changing the subject. Do you mind Luke?" Luke shuddered at the look of pure desperation in Sebastian's eyes. He swallowed before quickly nodding.

"Y-yeah. Sure,"

"Heheh...thanks buddy..."

* * *

"Well that movie was definitely something," Matzuo laughed as he and Cereza stepped out of the theater.

"Yes it was. So vulgar," Cereza added on. "But it was entertaining at least," The two shared a laugh as they walked away from the theater. They exchanged thoughts about and quotes from the movie as they walked, making more fun out of the experience.

"So, should I walk you home?" Matzuo asked looking down at Cereza with a small smile. Cereza fidgeted a bit before giving an answer. "Well, the night's still young. We can just…walk and talk if you want," Matzuo smiled wider.

"I'd like that,"

"Great! So, what shall be the topic of discussion?" Matzuo raised his head in thought as Cereza slowly intertwined her fingers with his. He looked down on the girl, who looked up at him with bright, brownish purple eyes.

"When you were little, what did you dream of being?" Cereza let out a long 'oooh' before bringing a finger to her lip in thought.

"Hmm…I remember before I took my form, I really wanted to be a famous singer like my Aunts Callie and Marie,"

"Whoa whoa whoa, now wait, wait, wait," Matzuo cut off, taking his hands to shake in disbelief. "You're related to THE Callie and Marie?" Cereza gave a wide smile before sticking her tongue out at the boy.

"Not really. They're just close family friends, so I get to call them my aunts,"

"huh," Matzuo muttered as Cereza re-linked their hands and continued walking. "So, do you still want to be a great singer?" Cereza slowly shook her head, still staring forward. Matzuo leaned forward to get a better look at the somber look on her face.

"Nah. I sort of let the dream die a long time ago…"

"Why? I'm sure you're a great singer," Cereza turned towards Matzuo with a large, closed mouth smile and shut eyes.

"Stage fright," Matzuo could look at the smile and sense all the repressed emotions in it, but Cereza spoke up before he could question it. "Then for awhile I wanted to be great at Turf Wars. Oh! We should go to one some time!" Her eyes bright and sparkling reeled back a bit at how Matzuo flinched.

"I'd love to, but my dad would kill me,"

"What? Why?" Matzuo scratched the back of his neck nervously and turned away.

"Well, he's not a big fan of Turf Wars. He thinks they're barbaric and just a way to subliminally promote bloodshed,"

"Well then…" Cereza said raising a concerned eyebrow.

"Yeah, he's a bit crazy at times,"

"Sorry,"

"it's cool. So is that something you still want to do? Become a great Turf War player?" Cereza began absentmindedly swinging her arms as she spoke.

"Nah. It kind of died too,"

"What happened to that one?" Cereza was quiet for a moment before responding.

"I just…lost interest," The tone Cereza's voice took left a small ache in Matzuo's chest, as if she was hurting and sending him her pain.

"There has to be more to it than that…," Matzuo whispered, his words laced in worry. Cereza muttered something almost indecipherable, Matzuo leaning in closer. "What?"

"I said 'a story for another time'," Matzuo simply looked at the girl who had gone silent and had ceased swinging her arms.

"So do you have any current dreams?"

"Not really," Cereza said, pep seeming to come back as she began swinging her arms again, though with a bit less vigor. "I guess…all I want to do is…accomplish the one, true goal," Intrigued, yet confused, Matzuo asked the question.

"And what's that?" Cereza turned towards Matzuo, a bright, warm smile plastered on her face as her eyes glistened.

"I want to be happy," The genuine tone of her voice brought a warmth to Matzuo's body and forced him to smile as well.

"That's a pretty broad goal, Cereza," Cereza chuckled and turned forward, her arms now back into full swing.

"Welp. Shoot for the moon. If you miss, at least you'll land among the stars," Matzuo looked at the girl who was now simply glowing. He gave a small smile as he simply stared at her figure. A small breeze blew over the two and Cereza took a deep breath of it. "I love these calm cool nights," She said twirling a bit. Matzuo chuckled a bit before looking around at how the lights reflected off the dark blue skies. His eyes quickly returned Cereza.

"Sure is beautiful," Cereza turned towards Matzuo once again, but turned towards the ground noticing his stare, her cheeks heating up drastically at the compliment given while looking at her.

"So do you have dreams?"

"Heh. When your life is as planned out as mine, you don't get to have dreams…" Cereza looked up to Matzuo with saddened eyes as it was his turn to stare forward with a somber expression. She tightened the grip she had on his hand, turning forward like him.

"Well…you wanna be happy don'tcha?" Matzuo let out a loud laugh. One that Cereza slowly joined in on.

"Yeah, I guess I do," The two smiled at each other and continued their walk. They made a few more blocks before arriving in front of Cereza's apartment.

"Well, this is it," Cereza released Matzuo's hand to turn towards him. "I had a lot of fun tonight," She said with a bright smile.

"Yeah, me too," Matzuo returned the smile. "So Em's in there waiting for ya?"

"Knowing her she's probably looking at us right now," The two shared another laugh.

"So…would a goodnight kiss make you happy?" Cereza's face instantly flushed, but she managed her best 'in control' smirk.

"Matzuo! You don't think I'm the type of girl to kiss on the first date do you?" Matzuo shrugged nervously, the smirk telling him there was a chance at least. Keeping the smirk, Cereza slowly reached up and grabbed Matzuo's shirt collar. Pulling him down tauntingly slow, she closed the distance. "But…you did save me from that jerk at the party," She whispered. "I guess you deserve _something,"_ Slowly she began to bring her mouth closer to his. Matzuo closed his eyes and slowly leaned in for the kiss.

Cereza made a sudden detour and instead kissed him on the nose. Matzuo opened his eyes to see a grinning Cereza, who put a bit of distance between the two.

"Goodnight, Matzuo," Matzuo grew a grin as well as the girl turned and opened the door.

"Goodnight, Cereza," Matzuo watched as her figure disappeared behind the door. He turned and began to walk away, goofy grin still on his face. He made it to the ground floor, the events of the day playing over in his head, as a happy feeling began spreading throughout his being. The smile on his face slowly died down as a thought was brought back to the forefront of his mind:

What did Cereza mean when she muttered, 'horrible kids'?

* * *

Luca was laying down in his bed, thinking over the information about his new found friends. The thought of suddenly having two more friends practically made him giddy as a smile creeped across his face. But it quickly was replaced by a contemplating look. Just how bad were their parents for Senia to snap like that?

Luca found himself wishing he could put a face or even a name to the apparent absent parent figures. Right now he could picture them as nothing but the bad guys. Probably with those eyes that glare down at you no matter what you do.

Luca gave himself a shiver as he imagined the dark figure. His curiosity still continued to grow however. If he wanted answers, it seemed that Senia would be more open to giving them. It must have been pretty bad since Sebastian acted so…terrified.

A light jingle stole him from his thoughts. He reached in his pocket and pulled out his phone. He checked the screen, seeing it was a text from Senia, his smile widened a bit.

 _Hi. Sebastian and I are just making sure you made it home safely. Looking forward to hanging out with you again._

The end of the text was punctuated with a winking squid face. Luca typed out his reply telling that he had made it home safe and was currently in bed waiting for his mom to call him for dinner.

 _Yum yum. Well have a good night. Be sure to dream about me._

A warm blush crossed over Luca's face as he thought of something.

"Hey mom," He called out.

"Yes sweetie?"

"Can we have friends over for dinner tomorrow?"

"Of course honey! I'll be happy to meet your friends,"

Luca's fingers rapidly tapped on the screen, sending the invitation.

 _Sebastian and I would love to come over for dinner! I can't wait to meet your parents. See you then._

Luca said his goodnights and placed his phone on charger, laying back in his bed as a warm smile crossed his face. Hopefully everything turned out well.

* * *

 **Another chapter down! Did ya miss me? Sorry for wait. School's started back so, I've moved into an apartment on campus and have been trying not to get consumed with homework. But enough about me, let's talk the story. First things first, the lemon I thought about. Well, based on the ones that reviewed, you guys weren't really feeling it. And some of my friends irl(that's right I actual have those! Can you imagine?) thought that time would be well for more character development. The lemon at this point was just a craving for my sinful hand.**

 **But don't worry. It shall be sated. A friend of mine had the wonderful idea of having the lemon be a oneshot since this one didn't really affect the story. So keep your eyes out for that. I'll leave a name of it in a chapter before I post it. There will be a few lemons that help the story play out so expect those in the distant future.**

 **Speaking of oneshots, I've had ideas one after another for this story. Some drastic, some minor. Others requiring flashbacks. Though at one point I considered the flashbacks to be optional oneshots elsewhere, I decided to just go ahead and have them as chapters in this story. I'll of course mention at the beginning if it's one of those chapters.**

 **Not much to reply to review wise, so I'll just say,**

 **Ticctaccer, I enjoy your ship names and your theories so keep 'em coming. Also the lemon was gonna be Inkata, :p**

 **So a lot of things were revealed this chapter, but when something is brought to the light, it will cast a shadow. Sebastian seems scared to talk about his parents while Senia seems to hate them with a passion. As for Cereza and Luca, they both seem to have some sensitive subjects about their past as well. And how did Apalo get a hold of Octameri's gauntlets?**

 **Find out next time, on Dragonball!...**

 **Wait a minute...**

 **Next Time:**

 **Apalo announces the situation to the public.**

 **Cereza tells her friends about her date.**

 **Luca's dinner with friends gets some surprise guests.**

 **The Assailant makes another appearance.**

 **Another character gets introduced. But what's their motive?**

 **I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Thank you all for reading and a special thank you for those who reviewed the last chapter. Until next time,**

 **Astalabyebye,**

 **Bang**


	6. Different Tensions

Sebastian sat in his living room with a small smile. He was reclined on the couch with a guitar resting on his being as he plucked a few strings and adjusted it until he found the note he wanted before playing. Closing his eyes, he let his fingers strum over the instrument. He opened his eyes just in time to see Senia walking by the doorway.

"Going somewhere sis?" There was silence from the hallway as Sebastian chuckled a little from his seat. "You could at least tell me where ya headed. Wouldn't want something to happen to my only sister,"

"I'm going to karaoke. I scheduled some extra hours to sing. And I would like to have some free time for when we have dinner at Luke's,"

"Neat,"

"Money has to come in from _somewhere,_ Sebastian,"

"Don't get lost,"

"Hm. Speaking of, be sure to get directions to Luke's. Don't want to get lost on the way there,"

"Will do," Sebastian was then greeted with the sound of the door closing. He stared blankly at the empty doorway before he returned his attention to the guitar in his hands. He played a few strings before laying his head back on the arm of the couch. He continued his music as a dreamy smile crossed his features.

"Must be nice,"

* * *

Cereza sat in the living room with Wakame and Em. Wakame sat on the chair across from the two with a knowing smirk, while Em sat excitedly beside a blushing Cereza.

"Alright, the bastard's here! Give me the deets!" Cereza chuckled nervously and turned her eyes towards the floor.

"Nothing much happened! We just talked mostly…He was really sweet,"

"Well fine then! Tell me what you talked about!" Cereza's blush didn't let up as she looked over her two friends.

"Just little things. He told me about where he lived and about his family. Then, we discussed dreams, and I told him about the ones I used to have…" Wakame and Em exchanged glances before Em placed her hand on her friend's.

"Did you tell him everything?" Cereza shook her head and looked up with a smile.

"He was nice enough not to pry, so we just changed subjects," Em smiled as Wakame quietly stared out the window. Noticing the shift of mood in the room, Cereza shot up, now trying to control the ever increasing heat in her cheeks. She quickly blurted out: "And before he left he asked to kiss me!" Wakame's attention shot back to his friend with a smirk while Em let out a sharp squeal.

"Oh my god! Did you let him?!" She shrieked shaking the hybrid's hands excitedly. Cereza smiled at her friend honestly seeming more excited than her.

"Of course not! I mean, he's a nice guy, and he's kinda cute, and _maybe_ , just _maybe,_ he'll get one on the next date," Cereza and Em squealed together while Wakame shook his head with a smile.

"So there is a second date then?"

"God, I hope so," Cereza let herself fall back on the couch. "We haven't really talked of a second date,"

"Then you should think of something and ask him out! Take control! That whole 'boys have to make a move first' is a dead habit," Cereza chuckled, bringing her hand up to her mouth and biting down on it lightly.

"Maybe I should," A phone buzzing caught the attention of the three, all of whom turned towards the sound. Cereza reached in the pocket of her pajama pants and pulled out her phone, a grin crossing her face as she lightly bit her lip in an attempt to contain her smile.

"I bet I know who that is," Em smirked while wiggling her eyebrows at the girl.

"Yeah…Matzuo is checking in on me,"

"Ask him out to coffee or something," Wakame chimed in from his usual seat.

"Yeah! The manslut has a good idea for once," Wakame shot Em a glare before rolling his eyes and turning his attention back to Cereza. Cereza nodded before typing furiously on her phone. She sent the message and twirled the device in her hand a bit.

"So are you going to go dressed like that?" Wakame chuckled. Cereza looked down over her sleeping outfit before turning towards Em with big puppy dog eyes.

"If he says yes, will you help me pick out an outfit again?" Em gave a wide smile.

"Of course I'll help you when he says yes,"

* * *

"I swear dude, she was all over me. She was rubbing my face and chest and everything," A slightly tanned Inkling boy with green tentacles raised a curious eyebrow at Lucas while an amused smirk crossed his face.

"No matter how many times you say it, I just can't imagine that happening to you," The boy's face then stretched to its max. "But I bet the face you would make in that situation would be hilarious! Your eyes were so wide they almost fell out of your head didn't they?" The boy playfully mocked. A bit of color tinged the hybrid's cheek as his eyes narrowed at being poked at.

"Shut up, Eden. They were not," Luca mumbled, leaning back in his chair. He wore a black T-shirt with 'Get Dunked On!' written in big white letters. His friend chuckled and leaned forward on the table in front of him.

"Chill dude. I'm just teasing. So, what else happened?" Eden crossed his arms across his blue polo shirt as Luca rolled his eyes.

"Nothing much. Her brother walked in right when she was getting ready to kiss me…well, I think she was gonna kiss me,"

"Oh man. Did he kick your butt?" Luca thought back to the moment Sebastian had walked in on him and Senia and tried to pinpoint an emotion that he may have overlooked in his panic. Coming up with nothing, he shook his head.

"Nah. He seemed pretty cool with it to be honest. But then again, she's older than him though,"

"Wait wait, how much older?"

"She's sixteen," Eden grew another wide smile as he clicked his tongue a few times.

"My man Luke going for them older ladies," Luca blushed again but couldn't break his smile.

"Shut up dude!" He leaned back and crossed his arms as his face calmed. "If you're done picking on me, how's Squidville going?" The Inkling shrugged before leaning back in his chair.

"Bored without my bestest buddy around," Luca gave his sad agreement.

"Don't you think it's a bit worse on me considering you're my only friend?"

"Apparently not with these new guys," Eden joked back. "You did get your ISquid right?" Luca nodded and pulled the device out of his pocket. "Sweet! Let's exchange numbers right now," Luca excitedly unlocked his phone and input Eden's number before giving his own.

"Alright. Now I'm gonna be texting you almost constantly," Luca said with a smile.

"I'm going to hold it to ya. Alright buddy, I gotta go. I'll talk to you later," Luca said his goodbyes and shut down his laptop. He leaned his head back over the rear of his seat and closed his eyes. It was nice hearing from his first friend. Eden had been Luca's friend since they were stage threes. You would rarely see Luca at school far from Eden. Eden was actually a pretty popular kid, but he still stuck to Luca like glue. Until his parents both got a promotion that required them to move to Squidville. Squiype, the video messaging app, being Luca's lifeline to his Inkling friend.

Pulling his thoughts from the past, he turned his attention towards the future. Moreso to Sebastian and Senia coming over for dinner. He was now feeling silly about the invitation. He could've just went back over to their place again. He wouldn't have to worry about the prying eyes of both his mom and dad. Plus, he doubted Senia would pull a stunt like in her bedroom if there was a chance to get caught by his parents.

Luca vigorously shook the thought out of his head. Why was he even thinking about that?! He barely knew the girl. Plus she was probably just teasing him anyway. Just wanted to get him all hot and bothered before laughing in his face. Yeah. That was it. Now a lot more levelheaded, Luca continued to think of the consequences him inviting his friends over may have.

His mother would no doubt ask about their parents, and that was a can of worms he didn't want to open at the dinner table. He'd have to warn his mother to stay away from that subject. Besides that and the now apparent fear of his mother busting out the baby pictures, he was pretty sure his mother wouldn't embarrass him too much. Maybe that was why he invited them. He wanted to share his motherly figure with them. She was pretty cool.

Apparently unlike the mysterious parent figures his friends owned. Would they be uncomfortable in the presence of the adult figures? He remember reading somewhere that getting abused at a young age by your parents could lead to a fear of adults. Hopefully that wasn't the case with Sebastian and Senia. But that shouldn't be the case. They both seemed to have a high respect for his parents.

He tilted his head and glanced to the clock on his nightstand. It was barely 9 o'clock in the morning. He had an entire day to do what he wanted while he waited for dinner time. He didn't want to seem clinging so he wouldn't talk to the siblings right now. Instead, maybe he'll go practice with his Splatterscope. He stood from his chair and picked up his weapon.

* * *

"Hey man, stop daydreaming and pay attention!" Inkay shook his head and waved the hand out of his face.

"Chill dude. I am too paying attention," Inkay growled at Kelp who gave him a small glare.

"I know when you're paying attention and when you're in lalaland, Inkay. Don't lie to me," Inkay simply grunted and turned away. Admittedly he was daydreaming. It was hard not to with recent events still playing on repeat in his head. But he shook it off, waiting for Kelp to continue. "Anyway, I was asking 'did you go over the files last night?'"Inkay scanned his thoughts before remembering the files Kelp was mentioning.

"I read about half of them. You?" Kelp closed his eyes and gave a cocky smile. The look alone made Inkay roll his eyes. That was the notorious, 'I did better than you' face.

"How did you ever get by as an Agent before me?" Kelp gloated.

"Just tell me what you found out, you dork," Kelp smiled and pulled out a map of Inkopolis. Inkay looked over the map and saw that there were red dots scattered throughout the city, but a bigger abundance near the area beneath Hammerhead Bridge. Kelp took his finger and drew a semicircle around the area connecting the bridge with Inkopolis.

"I went above and beyond my friend. I did some digging, found some names, addresses, and then mapped out the estimated place of disappearance. What I found was that the people that have gone missing are mostly from the part of Inkopolis bordering Hammerhead Bridge. And only recently have they started moving further and further away from it,"

Inkay studied the map as Kelp pointed out each dot getting further from the bridge as if Inkay couldn't tell on his own. Inkay took a moment to study the map before looking up to Kelp, a contemplating look on his face.

"So you're thinking that the guy is from the area near here? That doesn't necessarily help that much Kelp. I mean it's a start, but we need more than that," Kelp stood up, crossing his arms with a glum, thoughtful look.

"True. But I was thinking we could scout around the area under the bridge and around the ocean's edge," At this Inkay raised a confused eyebrow.

"Do I have to spell it out for you?" Inkay just stared forward deadpan, which caused Kelp to let out an exasperated sigh. "We found the last body washed up right? Which means that the kidnapper had to have dumped it, right? Not only does this area have a lot of blindspots a body could be dumped, the current also travels slightly towards Saltspray Rig. So I'm thinking this area is his hunting grounds. And if not, his dumping grounds,," Inkay studied the map before looking up at Kelp.

"I guess it wouldn't hurt to check it out," he replied standing up, Kelp smiling as if they already caught the criminal.

* * *

Marie sat quietly across the table from her cousin, casually scrolling through fanart of her and her cousin on the internet. With safesearch on mind you. She had made that mistake once and wouldn't do it again.

Callie on the other hand was biting her nails nervously. The sound of her foot anxiously tapping against the floor of the room causing Marie to press a little harder on her phone and her eyes to narrow a bit further. Eventually she gave up and calmly placed her phone face down on the table.

"Callie," Marie firmly called out, gathering Callie's attention and making her cease all of her movement. "De-stress your breasts," Callie glared at Marie while her cousin just deadpanned at her.

"How are you not stressed? Apalo's coming to inform the public. I feel like there's a law against riling them up like that or something," Callie whispered yelled, Marie still calmly looking at her.

"I agree that this, may not be the best idea. But the thing is, Agents 1 and 2 know what he's about to do, but WE don't. Play it cool, and if you have concerns, mention them afterwards," Callie just nodded nervously, Marie turning to wave at a few kids staring at them through the window like always. She picked her phone up and looked at the time before standing up. "Anyway, it's time. Let's go get this train wreck over with…" Marie muttered as Callie nodded and stood as well.

The two walked into the studio to see that Apalo was already there, talking to one of their managers. Apalo looked over to the two as they entered with half lidded red eyes, which lit up at the sight of them. He gave the manager a polite exit and walked over to the two.

"What an honor it is to meet you two," He greeted with a toothy did a small gentleman's bow, causing Callie and Marie to do a small courtesy, both giving their own signature smiles.

"We should be honored to meet you! All the things you've done to push Octarians and Inklings together are huge inspirations to us!" Callie said, doing well to hide her discomfort on the reason behind his visit.

"Well I could say something similar to you. I'm a big fan of music and the music you make are some of my favorites," Marie covered her mouth in signature smirk as she eyed the older Octling male.

"Stop it, please, you're making me blush," Apalo chuckled as he looked down on the two. They were interrupted by a young Octarian male calling out, saying that they were ready to begin.

* * *

The Inkopolis News Time jingle rang throughout the city. Not exactly the same time it usually rang out, it grabbed the attention of pretty much every citizen in the city. After the jingle died down, Callie and Marie did their usual introduction as everyone waited patiently for them to tell them the news.

"Today we have a very special guest with us!" Callie started off.

"Someone we're pretty sure you know of. Please help us welcome," Together they both called out,

"Apalo Atalunul!" Apalo slowly stepped onto the screen, standing in front of the blank projector and in between the Squid Sisters. He gave a curt nod to the camera as his expression remained serious.

"Greetings, citizens of Inkopolis," He started. "I come to you with some unfortunate news regarding the recent string of disappearances. After much investigation, it seems that the kidnapper is much more elusive than we first thought, and that the kidnappings have all been done by the same person, or organization. Their numbers unknown," The city was overrun with collective murmurs as Apalo spoke louder as if to steal the attention back.

"I assure you we are doing all we can to find the criminal. But in the mean time, I advise you all to stick to traveling in pairs, stay in well lit areas, and be sure to let a trusted friend or family member know your location at all times. We will do our best to quickly apprehend the culprit. I ask you all to remain calm, as we have the situation under control," With that, Apalo gave another nod before promptly leaving the stage, leaving Callie and Marie to look nervously between each other before looking at the camera.

* * *

Cereza was in a coffee shop with Matzuo as the announcement was made. She was sitting across from him in a pair of blue jeans and a yellow blouse, her tentacles just hanging freely off her head in their usual curly way.

"Wow. That's…concerning…" She whispered to her guest sitting across from her. Matzuo was staring at the screen with a serious expression. Cereza tilted her head in concern as she looked over the Octoling boy in khakis and a dark blue polo. Slowly, she reached over and rested her hand on his. He jumped a bit, startled by her touch before calming back down. "Matzuo? Are you okay?" She asked, worry laced in her words.

Matzuo's shoulders slumped, having felt bad in making her worry. He put his brightest smile on his face as he flipped his hand over to hold hers.

"Yeah. Just…concerned for those missing…" He said. Cereza's face heated to a warmth she was beginning to grow familiar with from his smile. She looked up at him with a smile of her own as he slowly brought his drink up to his face.

"So, you have any other plans for the day?" Cereza asked, slowly sipping on her ice coffee. Matzuo gave her a knowing smile as she returned it.

"If I don't, would you invite me to spend it with you?"

"Maybe." Cereza whispered, blushing a bit harder as Matzuo gently ran his thumb over the back of her hand.

"On the chance that you will, I don't," Cereza smiled and finished the rest of her drink. When Matzuo finished his, the two left the coffee shop, simply walking around Inkopolis, exchanging stories and ideas. Cereza was extremely interested with learning more about Matzuo's family, while Matzuo tried to subtly dig up more on Cereza's past. After a bit of walking, they ended up standing outside of Cooler Heads.

As they roamed around the plaza, a group of both Octarians and Inklings caught their attention. Cereza looked on curiously while Matzuo poked fun at the poor sap that was currently being swarmed. They tossed ideas back and forth before seeing the cause of the swarm.

"Mr. Apalo!" Cereza sceamed as she frantically waved her hand in the air. Even with all the people yelling to grab his attention, Apalo's attention snapped towards the hyrbid, his tired eyes brightening slightly as a small smile crept upon his face. He calmly pushed his way out of the crowd towards the hybrid girl as she ran forward, dragging Matzuo behind her.

"Cereza. I'm sorry, but I'm going to have to ask you to stop growing immediately. You're making me feel so old," Cereza laughed to herself as she smiled up to the older male. "It's always nice to see you. How have you been?"

"I've been great," Cereza started, stealing a glance towards Matzuo. "How have you been?" Apalo's smile didn't waver but he took a deep sigh.

"Growing more and more exhausted by the day. But I'll continue to do my best," His eyes slowly scanned down Cereza's arm to the hand, still holding on to another. Apalo's glance looked up and locked onto Matzuo, who stiffened and froze on the spot. "And…who's this…friend of yours?" Cereza looked at Matzuo with a smile, which quickly faltered at the slightly scared look on his face.

"Matzuo?" Cereza slowly shook the hand she held, pulling Matzuo out of his daze, but he didn't take his eyes off the blood red of the older Octoling.

"H-hi Sir," Matzuo stuttered out as he reached a shaking limb forward. Apalo reached forward and grabbed Matzuo's hand in a firm handshake.

"What a pleasure to _meet_ you, young man. I take it your intentions with young Cereza would be to my liking?" Matzuo gulped and quickly nodded his head.

"O-of course, sir,"

"Excellent. Would hate for her father to figure you had any ill intentions towards his daughter," Cereza pressed her shoulder against Matzuo, smiling brightly towards Apalo.

"I'm sure he wouldn't hurt me. He's a nice guy," Apalo smiled a fang-filled grin to the young hybrid.

"I would hope so. You do know I enjoy our chats Cereza, but I must be on my way. Things to do, people to see. You understand by now," Cereza nodded.

"Talk to you later, Mr. Apalo," Apalo nodded a farewell as he turned and begun walking off. Cereza turned towards a still rigid Matzuo, who hadn't taken his eyes off the retreating figure of Apalo. Cereza used her free hand to lightly tap Matzuo's shoulder, the young man jumping at her touch. "Matzuo? You okay?" Matzuo took a long look into Cereza's eyes and took a deep breath, visibly relaxing.

"Y-yeah. I'm fine," Cereza relaxed at Matzuo calming down and returned to her bright, cheery self.

"First time meeting Apalo huh?" She teased.

"Um…y-yeah," Cereza began walking again, causing Matzuo to follow beside her.

"Yeah, the first time anyone meets him is kinda scary. I think it's the eyes. But he's just a big teddy bear," Matzuo shrugged as Cereza smiled up at him. Before the conversation could continue, Cereza's phone rang, her unclasping her hand in order to answer it.

"Excuse me, it's my mom," She said turning away from Matzuo, who nodded in understanding. "Hi mommy. What's up?"

"Hi darling. You heard the announcement Apalo made right?"

"Yeah. I heard it,"

"Alright. Just wanted to make sure. I want you and Emily to watch out for each other ok?"

"Of course mom. We already do,"

"Okay. Well I want to see you. Luca is gonna have some friends over for dinner, so I was going to make a lot. You're welcome to some if you would like,"

"Oh, but mom," Cereza glanced over to Matzuo, who glanced back at her noticing her movement and waved. "I'm kind of spending the day with a new friend of my own,"

"Wonderful! Invite them as well," Cereza's entire face darkened immediately as words stumbled their way out of her mouth.

"What?! B-b-b-but mom! We just met and I-"

"But I want to meet them! I'm so happy my babies are extending their circles,"

"But mom…"

"Hold on I have another call. See you tonight! Bye!" Cerata quickly hung up before her daughter had a chance to further protest. Cereza stared at her phone in defeat as Matzuo approached her.

"What was that all about?" Cereza turned towards Matzuo, a dark blush covering her face. So much for taking things slow.

"Would you like to come to dinner with my family?"

* * *

Inkay and Kelp were browsing the shores of Hammerhead Bridge when they heard the announcement. They continued walking around the shores as Kelp's eyes were furrowed in confusion while Inkay's were narrowed.

"Why would he…" Kelp trailed off as Inkay shook his head.

"That was a stupid move. If anything, the public is just gonna freak out more," Inkay growled, his tentacles in bright orange to compliment his partner.

"So…what do we do know?" Inkay took a deep breath and let out a sigh before looking over to his partner.

"We stick to the plan. We continue looking for clues on-" Inkay was cut off as he was tackled to the side by Kelp, the area he was previously standing now covered in purple. "You're getting good at that," Inkay commented standing and pulling out his E-liter and pointing it towards the direction the shot came from.

"Well someone has to make sure you stay alive," Kelp smirked as he did the same with his blaster. Once again the figure stood in the distance, clad in the same get-up as previously. Unlike last time, he had two charger-like weapons, one in each hand.

"Why are you here?" It said darkly. Compared to last time it seemed very angry and it honestly caused both Inkay and Kelp to flinch. Kelp kept his gaze forward but leaned slightly towards Inkay.

"You think we should have waited for the gauntlets…?" He whispered. Inkay swallowed audibly before whispering back a small 'yeah' before addressing their assailant.

"We're here to put a stop to you!" The figure tilted its head slightly before raising the charger in his right hand and staring at it.

"Huh…That's nice…But I can't be stopped right now," It said.

"Well don't think we're going to let you get away this time!" Kelp shouted. The figure dropped its hand back to its side, its head not moving at all.

"Silly Inkay. Don't think I'll let you live this time," In an instant, the figure raised its left hand and shot the charger towards the two. Inkay and Kelp jumped in opposite directions as the ink barreled towards them. Once the ink hit the ground, it didn't just coat it in a layer of purple, but it exploded. Kelp and Inkay looked back in horror as the plume of ink slowly fell back down to the ground.

"What kind of charger?…" Kelp trailed off as a soft whirring came from the assailant. Or more specifically, the charger now pointing at Inkay. Inkay jumped to his side just as the weapon beeped and the assailant fired, the area Inkay occupied exploding in purple. Kelp made a move, running towards the assailant before he pointed his blaster at it.

The assailant raised its right hand as soon as Kelp made a move, firing a streak of Ink towards the charging Inkling. Kelp was not expecting how fast the ink moved. Sure chargers reached their mark almost instantly, but somehow this one moved faster. The ink hit Kelp's leg so hard, the Inkling flipped from the force. His charge was stopped and he landed roughly on his back. He groaned and lifted his knee, attempting to wipe the burning substance off his leg.

The assailant pointed the weapon at Kelp again, firing another quick shot that Kelp barely dodged by rolling to the side. The assailant turned towards Inkay just as the Inkling shot a stream of ink at it. The shot was easily sidestepped as the attacker pointed and fired the explosive charger at Inkay.

Inkay jumped and rolled away from the blast radius, throwing a Splat Bomb towards the assailant as he tumbled. Inkay took the time his attacker was distract to run over to Kelp. The downed Inkling had covered his leg in orange to rid of the torturous fluid, but was still on the ground.

"Why haven't you gotten up yet?" Inkay snapped with a trace of worry.

"I've been trying! I can't…I can't feel my leg," Kelp groaned out. Inkay let out a sound somewhere between a grunt and a scoff. Of course it had some type of paralyzing ink. Of FREAKING course. The assailant, having successfully dodged the Splat Bomb and turned its attention back towards the two agents.

Inkay quickly wrapped Kelp's arm around his neck and pulled the Inkling to his feet. Kelp put his weight on his good leg as Inkay helped him move away from the assailant. The two froze as a quick blast of ink shot between their heads, both agents paused and looked over their shoulder to see their attacker casually walking towards them.

Inkay cursed under his breath as he scurried to move himself and Kelp to cover. Another shot rang past their head. Both of them kicking it into high gear. Luckily, there was a decently sized rock that the two managed to get behind as a few more shots passed them.

"How is he missing so much?" Kelp breathed out, now fully panicking as Inkay continued to curse to himself.

"The bastard's toying with us. He knows that you can barely move and his weapons out class ours," This time Kelp cursed to himself. Too scared to poke his head from around the rock, Inkay listened. Inkay listened hard. The adrenaline coursing through his system picking up everything that could possibly be helpful in keeping him alive.

He could hear the assailant taking slow, taunting steps towards them. His feet shifting the sand and causing soft crunches to blare in Inkay's ears. It was getting close. Inkay played out various outcomes in his head, all of them honestly not ending too well in his headcanon, but the sound of their attacker growing closer urged him to hurry and do something.

He waited until the attacker was a bit closer before pulling out a Suction Bomb. He nervously ran his fingers along the bomb as he glanced at Kelp, who simply nodded. Inkay threw the bomb high over the rock. Hoping that the action gave a decent enough distraction, Inkay lunged from around the rock, firing his E-liter while Kelp rolled around the opposite side firing his weapon.

Inkay's hopes were dashed as the assailant paid the flying suction bomb no mind and charged forward. It brought its foot up and kicked the barrel of the gun to the side before hurling its foot into Inkay's face. The Inkling grunted as he was knocked back and the assailant kicked his gun away from him.

"Inkay!" Kelp called as he made an attempt to assist his ally. The assailant easily hooked his foot around Inkay's neck and slammed the Inkling into the rock while pointing the barrel of the exploding charger at Kelp.

"Move and die," The masked figured warned as he pointed the barrel of the other gun at Inkay. The two agents froze as both weapons let off soft whirs, one of course being a bit faster than the other. "I gave you ample opportunity to give up. To just enjoy the rest of what little life you have. Yet you waste it looking for me instead of with the ones you cared about," The assailant pushed the barrel closer to Inkay. "Disgusting. But what else should I expect of the _savage_ that is Agent 3?"

Inkay froze as he looked down the barrel, still oozing a bit of purple from its previous shot. For some reason that line struck a cord in the Inkling. He didn't know what to do. He didn't know what he _could_ do. Things hadn't look this bad for a long time. He grit his teeth and looked up at his attacker, the fear in his soul not showing on his face.

The masked figure perked up slightly, as if alerted by something. It turned to its right to be greeted with a metal fist to its face. Ink shot from the gauntlets, giving them more force as they sent the attacker hurling away, flying over Kelp and landing in the sand in the distance.

"Cerata! Man am I glad to see you!" Kelp called propping himself back on the rock with a huge smile on his face. Cerata gave both males an angry look, causing them both to once again fear for their lives.

"Just what the hell were you two thinking? Apalo said he would give us the gauntlets to _actually_ hurt the guy, and you two run ahead before getting yours! You're lucky Agents 1 and 2 called me when they did! What exactly did you hope to accomplish?!" She scolded, causing both males to shrink under her.

"Um…recon?" Inkay more asked than stated giving a weak smile to his wife, who only narrowed her eyes more.

"Men are so stupid," She groaned stepping forward.

"So do you have any gauntlets for us?" Kelp asked as she continued to walk by.

"No I don't. Yours aren't ready yet. I had to go get Octameri's from Apalo. They aren't in the best shape, but," Cerata punched her hand, a challenging smirk thrown at the masked figure as he stood to his feet. "They work well enough," The figure groaned as he turned his attention towards Cerata.

"Be careful! The charger in his left hand has a blast radius and the other shoots really fast!" Inkay explained. Cerata simply stared at her opponent as he raised his weapons towards her. Cerata charged forward as the masked figure fired both weapons. Inkay quickly grabbed Kelp and pulled him behind the rock as Cerata turned into her octopus form, dodging the quick shot before launching herself into the air with a super jump.

The masked figure looked towards Cerata and pointed both weapons at her again. The whirring returned as Cerata reverted to her Octoling form and began her descent. As soon as he prepped to pulled the trigger, a blast of orange shot towards the masked figure. The shot knocked him off balance and caused him to stumble. Looking forward again, he noticed Inkay pointing his E-liter forward, the weapon beginning to charge another attack.

Distracted just long enough, by the time the masked figure looked back towards Cerata, she had slammed her foot into his face. Using the stun of the first hit, Cerata quickly twisted her body and gave a quick right hook to the figure's face.

Momentarily dazed, the figure couldn't stop the second swing to its face. Or the third. Or even the fourth. Somewhere between the fourth and the fifth, the masked figure swung one of his chargers at Cerata. The Octoling easily ducked under the attack and sent a strong uppercut into the figure's chin.

The figure was knocked off the ground but easily landed on its feet and pointed its weapons at Cerata once again. Cerata didn't falter, charging in again as she cocked her arm back. Right before the figure fired, another blast of orange ink knocked off the masked figure's balance. The figure glanced towards where the shot came from, already knowing that Inkay was the one who fired it.

The figure didn't get a chance to get Inkay in its sight as Cerata threw a hard flying punch square into the figures nose. The figure let out a pained groan as Cerata continued attacking. She threw a right hook into the figure's jaw, a jab to its chest, uppercut into its stomach, then a left hook to its jaw again. She slid her leg forward as small compartments on the gauntlets clicked open, spewing a stream of purple ink backwards.

Her fists became a blur as the ink propulsion sped up her punches. She threw strong uppercut after uppercut into the figure's stomach. Eventually she was able to lift the figure off the ground and balance it over her head with the ferocity of her punches, much similar to her sister before her. She juggled it for a bit before sending a strong straight punch into its stomach, then twirling around and giving a strong roundhouse kick to its face.

The figure twirled in the air with a scream before balancing itself, immediately pointing its weapons towards Cerata.

"You little, annoying, Chun-Lee wannabe-" Cerata quickly turned to her octopus form again and super jumped towards the figure. The figure fired the weapons, but once again a stream of orange ink knocked the blast off course. The masked figured immediately turned towards Inkay's location. "STOP! IT!"

Cerata immediately slammed her fist into the figure's stomach again, a pain wheeze escaping its throat as you could practically see the outline of Cerata's fist in its back. Cerata's tentacles began burning with energy, showing that her special was ready. Twirling both her and the figure around, Cerata held one hand back and pushed the figure towards the ground with the other. The boots she wore sped up their descents while the gauntlet she held back began spewing a very large amount of purple ink.

"No no no nonononononono!" the figure shrieked as Cerata smirked. Inkay made sure that he and Kelp were fully behind the rock right as Cerata slammed her fist into the assailant and thus the assailant into the ground. A large wave of purple ink exploded from the gauntlets and covered a wide area in the color. Inkay and Kelp waited a moment before peaking over the rock.

Cerata was brushing her hands together with a victorious smirk on her face. It's been awhile since she had been _that_ brutal. She looked towards her husband and threw him a look that screamed her superiority in combat. Inkay smiled but rolled his eyes while Kelp, not knowing the look, simply began singing Cerata's praise.

"That was awesome! Where did you learn how to do that? God I'm glad you showed up when you did-" The figure then jumped out of the lake of purple, landing on the outskirts of it before falling on its knees.

It went into a coughing fit, desperately clawing at the mask to get it off and get some fresh air in its system. It clawed the top of the purple stained mask before pulling it off and flinging it to the side. The coughing fit continued as Cerata approached. When she got close, the figure flipped around and she froze. Without the mask holding it in place, gravity pulled the back part of the outfit down, revealing a set of bright yellow tentacles.

"So you're an Inkling…" Cerata stated. The Inkling narrowed his bright green eyes as he pushed himself up to his knees, Cerata raising her fists in case he made a move.

"Yeah? And you're a pain," The Inkling painfully groaned out. "All I had to do…was plant a stupid bomb….and be on my way," The Inkling fought to get to his feet, taking deep breaths as he tried to regain himself. "Then…the fucking mass murderer…and his entourage show up. Followed suite by his bed whore, Sakura her fucking self," The Inkling was now standing straight up, gesturing to all present. His tone was angry but his face was tired. "Pain in my fucking asshole,"

"Don't make me punch you through the fucking head," Cerata growled as she narrowed her eyes.

"As tempting as that sounds, I don't need a nap right now. The old man is already gonna have my ass on a platter for messing up something so simple. But when I'm back at 100%, don't expect the fight to go this well for you. But for now…" The Inkling pulled out two Splat Bombs, both swirling the same energy as the one from before. All others present went wide-eyed at the explosive as Cerata's form faltered.

"Inkay? Is that-?"

"Get out of there now!" Both of Cerata's allies yelled out.

"White out the inked heavens!" The figure yelled out, slamming the bottom of the two bombs together forming a sort of diamond shape as the two bombs began vibrating violently. "Survive this, and next time I won't go so easy on you!" The figure yelled out. He threw the bomb high into the air, his opponents following its movements. Inkay snapped his eyes on to Cerata as another rush of fear ran through him.

"Cerata move!" He screamed, snapping the Octoling out of her fearful daze. She turned tail and ran as the figure burst into hysterics. The bomb, still in midair, exploded in a flash of white. Smaller bombs rocketed towards the ground, all exploding with great force and bathing the area in white.

* * *

Luca had subconsciously cleaned the entirety of his room after returning home. He didn't want to seem like a slob to his friends, and it made every minor flaw stick out that much more. If there was time for games, he didn't want Senia to trip from the stuff on the floor.

Sudden need to clean satiated, Luca walked into the kitchen to see if his mom was close to finished with dinner. He was greeted with an empty room. You could practically see the question mark appear over Luca's head as it tilted and and he looked around. Did his mother forget they were having company over? That wasn't like her. She loved when her kids invited friends over. Hopefully nothing went wrong in her outing. Luca was aware that there were still a lot of people who didn't particular like his parents for joining the species.

But his mother could take care of herself. Luca was sure of it. In fact that was probably her putting her keys in the door. Oh. Luca snapped out of his thoughts and headed towards the doorway, fully expecting to see his mother rushing in to get dinner ready and going on about how she forgot. What he got instead was another familiar voice.

"Mom! Dad! I made it!"

"Cereza?"

"Luke!" Before Luca could question what was going on, he was pulled into a big, sisterly hug.

"Cereza! Ack! You're smothering me again!" Luca groaned. Cereza chuckled and released her brother as he gave her a sideways glare. "What are you doing here?" Cereza put on a pout as she feigned pain.

"Are you saying I need an excuse to visit my parents and only brother?"

"Well…no but, you usually don't come in this late," Luca answered with a tilt of his head.

"Yeah, well mom invited me and my new friend over for dinner tonight. Speaking of," Cereza turned towards the male behind her, gesturing for him to come forward. Matzuo walked forward and offered his hand to the younger boy.

"Hi there, Luca. Your sister has told me a lot about you," Matzuo smiled and Luca shook his hand with a tilt of his head.

"Nice to meet you too," Luca said as he released Matzuo's hand and turned towards his sister. "Well, I have some new friends coming over too, so please don't embarrass me tonight, sis," Cereza chuckled and put on her biggest grin yet.

"Oh really? I can't wait to meet them!" Cereza said ignoring the second part of the comment.

"Sis, I'm serious,"

"Serious? I thought your name was Luca,"Luca groaned as Cereza laughed and pulled her brother into another hug. Matzuo couldn't help but smile at the interaction. It was interesting to say the least to watch Luca struggle to get out of Cereza's grasp while she smiled brightly. He could see a small smile being willed away by Luca.

The door let out another soft knock, catching the group off guard. Cereza let go of Luca as he approached the door. He looked at Cereza once more giving another silent plea as he stood in front of it.

"Who is it?" He asked, hand on the knob excited to see his two friends.

"Um…it's us Luke…" Luca smiled as he opened the door. There was a split second before they came fully into view where Luca could of sworn they seemed worried about something. By the time Luca opened the door, Sebastian had regrew his smile and Senia had once again covered her eyes with her tentacles.

"Are you guys aright?" Luke asked, glancing over Sebastian's seemingly forced smile and how Senia seemed to tilt her head further towards the ground than usual.

"Yeah, we're fine. Just uh, got lost a few times on the way over," Sebastian said nervously rubbing his head.

"Sebastian is horrible with directions," Senia added. Sebastian chuckled before turning back towards Luca.

"So, Luke. You gonna invite us in?" Sebastian asked. Luke stuttered before nodding, stepping out of the way and gesturing the two in, opening the door further so they could come through. Sebastian gave a nod of appreciation as he walked in, Senia walking slightly behind while holding on to his sleeve for guidance.

"Sebastian, Senia, this is my sister and her boyfriend," Luca said gesturing to the siblings as he said their names, Senia removing her tentacles from her eyes but keeping them pointed towards the ground.

"He's not my boyfriend…" Cereza called out, getting looks from everyone, minus Senia, in the room. Luca grew a smirk as Cereza's face colored. To rush off the embarrassment showing on her face, Cereza stepped forward and eagerly shook Sebastian's hand. "A pleasure to meet you, Sebastian,"

"Charmed. Nice to make your acquaintance," Sebastian replied with a smile. Cereza stepped over to Senia, who raised her hand to let Cereza shake it as well.

"Nice to meet you. And I love your dress!" Senia smiled and picked up the edge of her dress and curtsied a bit.

"Thank you very much," She said as Cereza let go of her hand. Senia propped her hands in front of her as she kept the smile on her face. "I've never seen it before in my life," You could practically see the question marks materialize over Cereza's head as she glanced up towards Sebastian and Luca for an explanation.

Luca had already introduced his palm to his face. He had explained to his mother subjects that may have been touchy or kind of awkward, but he didn't have time to do that with Cereza. He was pretty sure complimenting a blind person on their looks was up there with complimenting a fish on its flying skills. Sebastian on the other hand chuckled and raised his hand to his mouth as if Senia would see his lips moving as he mouthed the words 'she's blind' to Cereza.

Cereza immediately clasped her hands over her mouth in shock. She had teased Luca about not embarrassing him, but she didn't want to _actually_ say something to do so. Thinking it would be better to just step aside, Cereza apologized and pushed Matzuo forward to do his introduction.

Sebastian stared up at Matzuo as the Octoling stared down on the younger Inkling. There was a moment of silence before Matzuo slowly raised his hand in an offer to shake.

"Matzuo. Pleasure to make your acquaintance," He said lowly.

"Likewise," Sebastian responded just as lowly. The two didn't break eye contact until their hands were safely back at their sides.

"And you as well, Senia," Matzuo added, breaking his gaze from Sebastian to look at the girl still holding on to her brother's shirt sleeve. Senia simply responded with a small 'hmph' and a one sided smile that lasted a fraction of a second. The room fell into this tense silence that both Luca and Cereza could feel, yet neither quite knew why or how to break it. After a few moments, Senia was the one to finally break it.

"Luke darling, when you invited us over, I sort of expected to be greeted with the lovely smell of a home-cooked meal. Is everything okay?" Luca snapped out of his trance and groaned.

"I don't know. I was sure mom would be back by now,"

"We can come back some other day if you would like," Sebastian suggested. Luca quickly shook his head declined the offer.

"No no! I'm sure she'll be here if you don't mind waiting. You'll just have to…wait a little longer…"

"I for one wouldn't mind. I'm sure we can do something to kill the time," Senia said clasping her fingers together and smiling brightly. Sebastian stole a quick glance towards Cereza and Matzuo before turning back to Luca.

"Luke, you have any games Senia and I can kick your butt at?"

* * *

 **Long wait equals a pretty long chapter. That's how it works right? But anyway the story so far has only had a bit of conflict here and there, but according to my scheduling, that's gonna change from this point. I really wanted to establish a bit of character for everyone before everything goes down. Drama, mystery, answers, and more will start popping up all over starting next chapter. So look forward to that.**

 **Also, I would like to inform you that the mass majority of the ideas I have for my stories come from music, and a lot of the times (and I mean a lot, especially in these Splatoon fics) I input lyrics from those songs in here. Now, I already have how I want the story to end planned out, but after a brainstorming session with my music, I had a thought of an alternate path I could take but still have the story travel the way I want it to. So, in the near future, I'm going to take a vote on which path the story will take. I'm not going to tell you your options yet. That would be spoilers. Just be prepared for some stuff you guys will get to vote on.**

 **I'm so giddy to share how I want the story to go but I also don't want to spoil anything. Ugh. Writer probs.**

 **Final note, for the pervy squid adults out there who wanted the lemon, by the time this goes up, the lemon will be uploaded elsewhere. I named it 'Love Taps' so yeah. You can go read that if you want, ya nasties.**

 **Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this chapter and will stick around for the next. Until next time,**

 **Astalabyebye,**

 **Bang**


	7. Here Today, Gone Tomorrow

**Beware The ***. They signal Lemon Fresh times ahead.**

"Games?" Luca parroted as he looked at his two guests. Senia once again clasped her hands together as she smiled brightly.

"Yes! Surely you have something fun we can play while we wait on your mother. Why, I bet they're stashed in your room somewhere," She continued as Sebastian nodded in agreement. Luca lifted his hand and scratched the back of his head, his eyes furrowing slightly in thought.

"Um. Yeah, I have some games in my room, but I'm not sure if-"

"Wonderful!" Senia cut him off by latching herself onto his arm, giving a challenging smirk as Luca colored with confusion. "Then by all means, lead the way darling. I can't wait to have another person to beat at their own games," Blush still plastered on his face, Luca glanced over to Sebastian who simply shrugged.

"What can I say? For some reason she's really good at games," He chuckled. Luca turned back to Senia as he began to stutter awkwardly, much to the amusement of Senia and Cereza.

"Well? Come on then Luke. Lead the way. Sebastian and I will follow closely,"Senia intertwined her fingers with Luca's as he simply nodded and began moving, Sebastian chuckling as his sister called over her shoulder for him to keep up. He began moving as well, stealing one last glance over his shoulder towards Cereza and Matzuo. He was silent before following his friend and sibling the rest of the way. Cereza found the action pretty odd but didn't question it. Instead she decided to tend to her guest. She turned towards Matzuo with a smile and prepared to get his attention. She froze when she noticed the look on his face.

It's true that she didn't know him that long, so her knowledge of him was basic at best, but the look on his face just didn't seem to belong. She'd seen him retreat back into his thoughts at times, and the look on his face was always blank. It was as if he shut everything out to focus solely on the images in his head. If anything, his face was worried or contemplative. But this look? It was calculating. Predatory. Like if Sebastian had said something Matzuo would've attacked him. It was such a foreign look on what she saw as a kindhearted Octoling. She was afraid to call out to him as if whatever caused the look on his face would suddenly be directed at her. Tentatively she reached forward, slowly letting her fingers brush against his arm.

In an instant, Matzuo's eyes were on her. She jumped at the quickness in his movements as he seemed taken aback at her reaction. His look slowly melted to one of worry, and something Cereza couldn't quite make out. Fear? She wasn't sure.

"Matzuo?" She whispered, finding her voice at the absence of the look. "Is everything okay?" Matzuo forced a smile and intertwined his hand with one of hers. The action would have caused her to blush under normal circumstances, but her focus was entirely centered around concern.

"Yeah. Everything's fine," He responded. Cereza didn't fully buy it, and the feeling was written all over her face. Instead of saying anything else, Matzuo gave her hand a quick squeeze. Cereza then fully noticed the situation and her blush crawled its way onto her face.

"So do you know that kid?" Cereza asked slowly pulling her hand away from his. Matzuo gave a look of confusion that Cereza couldn't tell if it was genuine or not.

"Who? That Sebastian kid? Nah. He just…reminds me of some guy I used to know,"

"Was it an enemy?" Cereza asked with a raised eyebrow. "Cause you were giving him a mad case of the stink eye," Matzuo laughed and the sound of it caused Cereza to smile and calm down a bit.

"No, it's nothing like that. Just memories," The Octoling responded. Cereza didn't fully believe that answer either, but kept her concerns to herself. "Hey," Matzuo whispered pulling her attention out of her thoughts and to him. "Luca has some games for his guests. What do you have for me?" Cereza grew a wide smile as she looked up at Matzuo.

"Well, I know where all the movies are unless my parents moved them,"

"Well what're we waiting for? Let's go enjoy ourselves," Matzuo did a small bow, which caused Cereza to giggle. She gingerly wrapped her fingers around Matzuo's hand and guided him to the living room, the boy glancing back once more towards the directions the others went.

* * *

There was a loud ringing. A groan followed suit, but the ringing easily drowned it out. Cerata opened her eyes as she tried to push herself to her feet. Her arms struggled from the shifting sand and the strain of her weight. Not able to fully lift herself, she settled with laying her head back on the ground. She let out another groan as another wave of pain traveled through her body. Everything hurt. Which Cerata took as a good thing. At least she still had all her limbs right?

She lifted her head the best she could and tried her best to will away the blurriness in her eyes. Slowly, her sight returned to her as the ringing subsided. She scanned her surroundings to try and pin point her two allies, or at least someone around that could help her. After a moment, she noticed another body on the ground. She reached her hand forward and dug her fingers into the sand, muscling up the strength to pull herself towards the body. The friction of the sand didn't help her aching body as she crawled her way forward.

As strange as it sounded, she focused on the pain, letting her mind juggle between it and her mission distracted it from her fears. She didn't know what she would do if Inkay didn't survive. So she didn't think about. She made light of the situation to make it easier to focus her body to move. Once she got close enough, she noticed the body did in fact belong to her husband. A weak chuckle escaped her lips as she inched her way forward.

"You men. When will you learn your wives are always right, huh?" She joked to herself. She dragged herself next to Inkay and used his shirt as leverage to pull herself the last bit of the distance. He was eerily still. Enough that it shook her resolve and she was actually worried. She pulled herself a little further and rested her head against his chest, sighing a breath of relief when she heard the familiar beating of his heart. Although it was much lower than she was used to, at least it was still beating. "Don't worry Inkay. I'm not mad at you. That comes later once we're back home safely," Cerata whispered as her muscles relaxed. She reached into Inkay's pocket, rummaging for a certain item.

"Come on Inkay. Please tell me you at least brought it with you," Cerata groaned. She smiled when she pulled out a small device. It looked like a basic keychain, but she knew better. It was an item given to Inkay by the organization. A small trinket of an Octopus on the head of an squid. It was the coloration of the icon for the secret agent group Inkay was apart of. It was supposed to symbolize the unity between the two species. She ran her thumb over the trinket and pressed down hard on a section near the middle.

After a few seconds, an audible click resounded from the keychain, and the pupils of both the squid and octopus began flashing a bright red. Cerata smiled softly to herself. She gripped the keychain in her hand before going still on top of Inkay, unconsciousness once again taking over her weary body.

* * *

"How could you have failed? It was a simple mission! Get in, set the bomb, get out," A voice roared over a cowering Inkling. The Inkling had his head bowed. His yellow tentacles draping to the ground from his kneeling position and just how low his head was being hung.

"A thousand apologies, sir. But I wasn't expecting the agents to show up. I would've been able to take them out but then the woman showed up. I wasn't expecting her to be as good a fighter as she was,"

"Then what did you expect?!" The voice boomed as its owner took a threatening step forward. The Inkling flinched at the voice once again echoing throughout the room. "You do realize this is the same Octoling woman who stood up against the acclaimed Octameri, as well as Octavio's machine? Her endurance through both were higher than Leviathan's himself. Did you expect her to just roll over?" The voice roared. The Inkling quickly shook his head.

"N-n-no sir. I-I-I just thought that since she was out of commission since her first pregnancy, she may have softened up a bit," The figure slammed its foot on the ground, the Inkling once again flinching as his eyes stayed locked on the ground. If he were looking up, the figure would notice just how much fear was evident in the Inkling's green eyes. "Forgive me, sir! I won't make the same mistake again!" The figure took a deep breath, pinching the skin of his nose as he slowly let it out.

"See to it you don't. It would be regrettable to have to send in the others for backup," The Inkling's fingers clenched along the ground as his voice lowered.

"Please. I can handle it on my own. No need to get them involved. Sir," The Inkling quickly rebutted. "I'll return and plant the bomb where you wanted ASAP,"

"Rise," The figure said. The Inkling shot up, looking up almost pleadingly to the figure. "That won't be necessary. I'm sure that they will have increased the guard around the area. Besides,haven't you heard?" The Inkling slightly tilted his head to the side in confusion.

"Er, heard what, sir?" A smile grew on the figure's face as his fangs glistened in the low light.

"Our actions have been announced to the public so they can better, 'prepare themselves'. So I think it's time for us to show them the force they're messing with," The Inkling once again lowered his head and crossed his arm in front of him in a bow before speaking.

"Not that I'm opposed to the idea, sir, but why are we so concerned with that? Don't you have…other goals? Not that I'm questioning my orders but we have still yet to find a compatible-"

"Calm yourself," The figure didn't lash out like the Inkling thought he would. Instead he calmly responded. " You know the main goal. And believe me when I say we're working towards it. But as long as those agents are targeting and going after you, we're free to continue our business here. You understand that, correct?" The figure nodded, keeping his head bowed.

"Yes sir. I understand,"

"Good. I'm sure you know what will happen if you fail," The Inkling was silent for a moment before responding.

"Yes, sir. So please tell me, what is my next mission?" The figure chuckled.

"I told you you could rise, didn't I?" The figure said, tone almost joking. The Inkling quickly stood up straight and locked eyes with his superior. But his sight quickly locked on to the object in the figure's hand. The Inkling's eyes widened and shoulders slumped at the sight of the object as the figure's smile turned into a smirk. The figure extended his arm almost menacingly towards the Inkling. The object was in the shape of an Inkstrike, but it was smaller, only about a foot long.

"B-b-but!…That's the-!"

"You've wanted to travel before right? I think it's about time you took a little road trip," The Inkling broke his sight from the bomb and once again locked eyes with the figure.

"Road trip? But…to where?"

"You know I never really liked Squidville. It was always too…" The figure's voice grew dark and menacing as he spoke the last word.

"Populated,"

* * *

"Well, here we are," Luca said opening the door to his room. Sebastian stepped in first looking around his room with a whistle. Luca watched with amusement as Sebastian walked around his room like an excited child in a toy store.

"Not bad. Not bad at all Luke. And are those Splatterman Comics?" Sebastian stepped to the right of the entrance and ran his fingers along the edge of the bookshelf. Luca stepped fully through the door with Senia still clinging to him. He closed the door behind them as Senia took one arm and slowly did a wide sweep with it trying to make sure she wasn't going to bump into anything.

"Yeah. My dad helped me find them. They're pretty awesome,"

"So we're in your room right now Luke?" Senia asked, still refusing to release his arm. Luca smiled to himself at Senia's reaction. She seemed so sure of what she was doing at her own home but here she clung to him almost adorably. He shrugged with a nervous smile, Senia putting her wandering arm back on his as if his movement signaled he would abandon her.

"Yeah. We're in my room," Senia extended a leg, sliding it around the immediate area around her similar to the way she did her arm. .

"Hm. I expected to have tripped over something by now. I wasn't expecting your room to be so clean, Luke," Sebastian chuckled as Luca colored a bit.

"What? Did you think I was some kind of slob or something?" Luca feigned a hurt sound to his voice, eliciting a chuckle from Senia as well.

"I do apologize. My brothers are the only other people whose rooms I've seen and saying they're a mess would be a complete understatement," Luca looked at Sebastian with an amused grin and a raised eyebrow.

"Hey, I don't see a point of cleaning if it's just going to get dirty again," Sebastian answered. Senia let out a scoff as she finally gave Luca some space, releasing his arm and letting her fingers trace down to his hand.

"By that logic you shouldn't stuff your face so much because you'll just get hungry again,"

"That's different. You see I _like_ eating," Sebastian said patting his belly. Senia rolled her eyes as she shook her head, Luca laughing at the response. "Anyway, Luke, where dem games at?" Sebastian continued, turning around to scan around the room.

"I tried to tell you guys. All the games I have are either video or needs you to see. So, I'm not really sure what we can all play,"

"Aaaaah, Luke," Sebastian said, wagging a finger towards his friend. "Tsk, tsk. Not properly preparing games for all your guest. That's bad hosting. I expected more out of you,"

"Oh shut up you," Luca retorted.

"Well, since Luca doesn't have a game, why don't we play 'Oh Dark Lord'?" Sebastian grew a wide smile while Luca grew a very nervous expression. Oh Dark what? That didn't sound like your standard board game.

"Um…Play what?" The siblings both grew a mischievous expression as they turned towards Luca.

* * *

"So wait, what is this movie about again?" Matzuo questioned as he eyed Cereza fiddle with the TV.

"Little Shop of Terrors," She responded as she pressed the play button and the screen hummed to life. She turned around and made the short walk to the couch that Matzuo was sitting on. She plopped down next to him with an excited grin as he returned it with a raised eyebrow.

"And what's it about exactly?"

"Well we'll just have to watch and find out, now won't we?" Cereza nudged her shoulder against his as he let out a small chuckle.

"Ok, ok. Let's find out," Cereza's smile widened as she crossed her legs on the couch and leaned back into it. Matzuo stretched his arms along the back of the couches, reaching around Cereza and tapping her shoulder to gesture her to move closer. Cereza colored for the umpteenth time that night as she avoided eye contact but complied. Matzuo smiled and started absentmindedly drawing circles on her arm, lulling them both into a calm state as they watched the movie.

* * *

"Stupid Inkay. Stupid Kelp. Stupid men,"

"Um…Callie? You know we're awake now, right?"

"I know! You're both so stupid!" Kelp sank back into his seat, hanging his head down like a scolded child as Inkay sat beside him in a similar fashion. The two males were once again in the infirmary with Callie and Marie glaring down at them.

"You guys should've just waited for the weapons before even risking going after the culprit," Marie added as she tapped her foot on the floor. "Do you know what would've happened if Cerata hadn't showed up?"

"You both would be dead," the mentioned Octoling answered as she stepped through the Squid Sisters with nowhere near as many bandages as the two males. "You're lucky Callie called me when she did. What were you two thinking?"

"We didn't expect to run into the guy! We just wanted to find clues for-" Kelp was silenced by a sharp elbow from Inkay. Kelp winced and glanced to Inkay, who still had his head down. Kelp got the message and returned his head to the same position. "We're sorry," He finished with a sigh. Cerata gave a similar sigh as she squeezed the bridge of her nose.

"I had other plans for tonight…Marie, what time is it?" Cerata asked, her body slumping showing just how tired she was. Marie reached in her pocket and pulled out her phone.

"It's a little past midnight,"

"Midnight?!" Cerata screamed now seemingly fully awake. "How long were we out?!"

"Quite awhile. Though your wounds weren't as severe as the ones Kelp and Inkay took on the last run, you were out of it for a bit," Cerata looked between the people in a room then the room itself as she began checking it for her things.

"What's the matter? Had a hot date tonight?" Marie joked as Cerata continued to fret.

"I was supposed to cook dinner for Cereza and Luca! They had friends coming over!"

"Friends?" Inkay parroted, sitting up straight in his seat for the first time.

"Yes, friends. And my first impression is a forgetful hostess thanks to you guys! Callie, Marie, I have the green light to leave right?" Cerata asked as she started putting her arms through her jacket.

"Yeah, you're fine. The guys are a little banged up so they have to stay a bit more," Callie answered as she and Marie stepped out of the Octoling's way.

"Great. Thanks girls," Cerata shared her farewells as she practically bolted out of the door. Callie and Marie watched her leave before turning their sights back to Inkay and Kelp. Both Inklings gave a wide smile, which only made the Squid Sisters frown more at them.

"You two need to stay here and rest some more. The doctors will be back in a little while to check in on you. Don't. Go. Anywhere," Marie scolded. Kelp and Inkay nodded furiously before Callie spoke up.

"We'll be going now too. Marie and I will be studying that mask we found at the battle sight. It could lead us to some clues,"

"Here's to hoping," Inkay said. With that, Marie and Callie left the room as well.

* * *

"How dare you fail me yet again! And blaming the weather for your incompetence! Pathetic!"

"Oh Dark Lord! You should've been there! It was so bright out, and the sun kept reflecting off my partner's excess tentacles!" Sebastian called out, doing an exaggerated bow. Senia stood on top of Inkay's bed, barefoot of course, with a blanket draped over her shoulders like a cape.

"And what do you have to say to that minion?" Senia roared out. Luca was bowed down on a knee, holding in his laughter the best he could while keeping up his minion voice.

"Oh Dark Lord, what he says may be true, but he is still at fault for he was supposed to be in the front line. As per your orders. My troops were meant to swoop around and surprise our enemies but he wasn't in position,"

"Oh that's how you want to play it huh?"

"Silence! I will have you slaughtered for going against plan!" Senia called out. She jumped off the bed, landing in the exact place she had the last few times she was the Dark Lord. "Luke wins,"

"Why am I not surprised?" Sebastian chuckled. Luca did a victory fist pump as Senia slowly put her shoes on. "You know you only won because the Dark Lord had a thing for you," Luca colored at the assumption and shifted his gaze to the wall as Senia let out a loud scoff.

"Please. He won because you gave terrible excuses. 'I was hungry'? 'My shoe was untied'? Really brother?" Sebastian simply grinned and shrugged his shoulders. There was suddenly a light beeping coming from his pocket. He reached in and pulled out his phone, his smile faltering.

"Whoo. Time sure flies when you're trying to save your butt. We missed med time Senia. We should probably head back," Luca lost his smile as his shoulders drooped.

"Sorry mom never showed up. It must look bad to be promised a family dinner and not get anything..."

"Oh don't worry about it Luke darling. I'm just hoping nothing bad has come of your mother," Senia replied as she and Sebastian began walking towards the door.

"Yeah. Hope everything's okay. We'll text you when we get home. And you text us to let us know your mom made it back OK," Sebastian added. Luca nodded as he walked the two through the hall. The siblings stopped at the door and turned towards Luca. "Well Luke. It was fun. We should do it again sometime," Sebastian extended his hand and Luca smiled as he shook it. Senia decided to give Luca a hug, pulling away with a smirk.

"And don't forget you're welcome to our humble abode any time. And if neither of us is there, you know where we are," Luca nodded again as Sebastian stepped towards the door.

"Well Luke, guess we'll see you later," Sebastian said, grabbing the door knob and giving one last salute. Senia turned to do the same but paused, taking a step back from the door. Sebastian raised an eyebrow before a small clicking sound filled the area.

Suddenly the door was swung open, the edge of it slamming into Sebastian's face. Sebastian hit the ground as Luca's eyes widened and he rushed to his side. Senia simply raised a dainty hand to her mouth and chuckled.

"OH! I am so sorry! I didn't mean to I swear!" Cerata called, dropping to her knees as Sebastian sat up rubbing his nose. A forced smile could be seen peeking from behind his hand.

"Don't worry about it Mrs. Squilliam. I'll be fine," Cerata pouted as she and Luca helped Sebastian up.

"Ah I'm so sorry. I'm so unforgivably late then I hit you with a door. I'm a terrible hostess," Cerata whined. Senia smiled and took a small step forward.

"Don't worry about Mrs. Squilliam. We were just worried something bad happened to you,"

"No, I just had to…clean up one of my husband's mistakes…But anyway! Again I'm so sorry! Can I get you an ice pack? Or something? Are you bleeding?" Sebastian removed his hand from his nose, rubbing it and flexing it to check if everything was ok.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Don't worry about it," Cerata took a breath of relief before looking between the two.

"So you must be Luca's friends? I'm so happy to meet you!"

"Oh yeah. Mom, this is Senia, and Sebastian," The group gave proper greetings as Cerata shook each sibling's hand.

"It's such a pleasure. And I'm sorry for being late. But I did manage to get some pizza," Cerata reached out the door and pulled in four pizza boxes. "I ordered two meat lovers and two veggies. Just in case,"

"We love meat lovers," Sebastian excitedly stepped forward before getting elbowed by Senia. "But we'll take either or,"

"Take one of each. Maybe next time I'll actually cook for you guys," Cerata handed each sibling a pizza box which they gratefully accepted. A beeping echoed again as Sebastian reached in his pocket and silenced his phone.

"Well it's been a pleasure meeting you but we have to be going,"

"Yes, it was a treat. Thank you for the pizzas ma'am," Cerata smiled at the siblings' mannerisms. The group exchanged goodbyes as Cerata locked the door behind them as they left. She let out a deep breath and groaned, absolutely mortified at how her first impression must look. Sensing his mother's feelings, Luca simply walked up to her and patted her on the back.

"Is your sister still here?" Cerata asked, her exhaustion now clear in her voice.

"Yeah. I think she's in the living room watching a movie with her guy friend," Cerata nodded and walked to the mentioned room to offer the undoubtedly hungry adults some food. What she found instead was the TV screen on the DVD's menu, and the adults sleeping on the couch, Cereza resting on the male's shoulder and his head resting on hers.

"That's so adorable!" Cerata almost squealed taking out her phone. She snapped a picture of the two, both stirring at the sound of the shutter.

"Mom?" Cereza questioned, leaning up and rubbing the sleep from her eyes. Cerata stood there, a hand over her mouth and her phone still pointed at the two. "MOM YOU DIDN'T!" Cereza shrieked jumping off the couch and at her mother.

"I'm sorry baby! But you were just too cute!" Matzuo woke up and stretched, opening his eyes to be greeted to the halfling trying to pry a phone out of her mother's hand.

"Did…I miss something?" He asked to no one in particular.

"No. Nothing important," Luca chuckled. "Pizza?"

"Oh. Thank you,"

* * *

Sebastian and Senia walked home in silence. When they arrived, they both headed to the kitchen and got their medication. They took their pills and ate some pizza, not once uttering a sound. After eating an even amount of both meat and veggie lovers, Senia finally spoke.

"Well, I'll be headed off to bed. Good night Sebastian," Sebastian said his good nights and Senia left the room. She was halfway up the stairs before Sebastian poked his head through the doorway.

"Hey…sis…" Senia paused, looking over her shoulder.

"Yes?"

"I was just thinking…We aren't….close…are we?" Senia raised a confused eyebrow before turning to face her brother.

"Whatever do you mean?"

"I mean. Luke…and his sister…they're really close. Like 'best friends' kinda close. So I was just thinking…it must be nice? Right?"

"It must be. But I don't see why you bring it up now,"

"It's just…we don't really interact with each other since…we got here. I was just thinking we could…get to know each other a bit better. All we have is bro and each other really so…maybe…tomorrow we can go…I don't know. Find another karaoke place? Maybe learn something about each other that doesn't involve singing on the way there and back," Senia smirked.

"Are you asking me out on a date?" Sebastian's face colored and his face turned into a frown.

"Why'd you have to go and make it all weird?! No it's not a date!" Senia laughed before turning back around.

"Sure I'll go. It may be fun,"

"And sis…"

"Yes Sebastian?" Sebastian averted his eyes as his cheeks grew another shade darker.

"…I…good night sis…"

"Good night brother," With that, Senia headed up the rest of the stairs and Sebastian let out a large sigh. Despite this, he grew a large smile afterwards.

"Words are hard but…this is nice,"

* * *

*Three weeks later*

Luca bobbed and weaved the best he could, dodging shot after shot of bright yellow ink as his breath came in quick bursts as he did his best to keep his legs moving beneath him. His cardio had improved drastically since his first Turf War, but he was sure that there were plenty of squids much more fit than him.

But that wasn't what he should be focusing on. He slid across the ground, pressing his back against one of the Ink Bags spread throughout the stage. More shots continued to hit the bag as well as the area around him. He gripped his Splatterscope tighter in his hand, taking much needed breaths as he prepared to launch his counter attack. When he poked his head out and pointed his weapon to where his opponent was, he was shocked to find the area empty.

Suddenly a burst bomb exploded on his back, knocking him off his feet. He turned to see his opponent, E-liter directly in his face. Luca closed his eyes and waited for that dreaded feeling.

 _Splat!_

And then that weightless feeling hit, followed by him being dragged back into the spawn point. When he respawned, his father was already walking towards him, E-liter flung casually over his shoulder but a stern look on his face.

"You failed," Luca groaned, picking up his weapon and stepping off the spawn point.

"I know, I know, I lost sight of you,"

"You did, but that's not why you failed. You failed because you gave up," Inkay explained, stepping closer to and placing his hand on his son's shoulders. "I know sometimes it may look like there's no way out, but all you need is to just keep trying. To pave a new road when it looks like you've reached a dead end. You understand Luke?" Luca looked up at his dad and nodded.

"Yeah. I got it dad,"

"That's my boy. Now, you ready to go again?" Before Luca could answer, Inkay's phone went off. The two looked down in confusion before Inkay pulled it out and answered it. "Hello?" Luca watched as Inkay's face shifted from a simple straight face to concern. "Is it something serious?…" Inkay's face turned grew focused as Luca looked up in worry.

"Dad?"

"I understand. I'll be right there," Inkay hung up his phone and turned towards Luca.

"Dad? Is everything ok?"

"Sorry Luke. Some stuff has come up at work. You know how it is," Inkay gave Luca a quick hug and began heading for the transporter. "Sorry we gotta cut training short today! I'll make the next lesson twice as hard!" Luca exaggerated a groan as his father laughed. Inkay left through the transporter as Luca decided to stick around for a bit to learn the map. After that got boring, he exited the training area.

Now with an entire day to himself, Luca thought what options he had to do. Obviously he could go visit Sebastian and Senia. He was invited to come over whenever he wanted after all, and the siblings were more than happy to host him whenever he asked. He had been over almost constantly since their visit, and they had been over his house since then too. Much to Luca's mom relief. He was sure surprising them today would be a welcome event. Making sure he had all his belongs, he began the trip over.

* * *

"So let me get this straight, you have been seeing this guy for like three weeks, and you haven't even kissed him yet?" Em scolded the halfbreed sitting across from her. Cereza blushed and looked away as Wakame chuckled.

"You do like guys don't you?" He joked, earning him a swift pillow to the face.

"Shut up! Of course I do! It's just that…I want to take things slow, you know?"

"Well does he even know you're interested? Because I would be confused as hell if I was seeing someone and they didn't even attempt to give me a kiss," Em crossed her legs and leaned forward. "Have you even talked about your relationship?" A blush still covering her cheeks, Cereza shook her head.

"No. We've just been enjoying each other's company. Just, having a great time,"

"You'd have a greater time if you did all the stuff you're doing now, except with some face sucking thrown in," Cereza rolled her eyes as Em began making kissy faces at her.

"Seriously guys. I wanna just…take things as slow as possible. I don't want things to end up like-"

"He who shall not be named. Got it," Wakame cut off. Cereza gave a somber smile and nodded.

"Yeah that. I just wanna…test the waters, see if he's really a nice guy or if it's all an act. If it's all true and he does like me, then he'll wait. Besides…I give him goodbye pecks on the cheek everyone once in awhile," Wakame and Em both smirked.

"Well, whatever you do, I hope it makes you happy,"

"In a different way than Elliot makes her happy. Obviously he must bed like a legend cause he ain't bringing nothing else to the table," Wakame said propping his legs up on his chair and taking out his phone.

"You keep my man's name out yo mouth before I beat you until you can't speak anymore," Wakame scoffed and rolled his eyes.

"Hey, don't be mad that Cereza isn't a skank that gives it up on the first date,"

"Well I don't either! You're the man whore that beds whatever broad he meets, Bakame,"

"'Bakame. That's not even a clever name," He muttered to himself.

"Mhmm. You better keep your voice down,"

"Guys, guys, stay civil! Please. You fight like an old married couple," The Octoling girl and the Inkling boy traded a glance before they both made hurling gestures.

"Disgusting,"

"Absolutely repulsive," Cereza just laughed.

"If you two are done, maybe we can decide on a movie," She said once again picking up the remote.

* * *

Luca walked up to what might as well have been his second home. He stepped up to the door and rang the doorbell, waiting patiently for the telltale sign of Sebastian coming to the door. However, the footsteps that approached the door were much lighter than Sebastian's heavy thuds.

"Who is it?…"

"Oh, hey Senia. It's me, Luca," The locks on the door came undone as the small girl opened it wide.

"Luke! What a pleasant surprise. I thought today was the day you trained with your father,"

"It is, but something came up and he had to cancel early. So I decided to drop by. Can I come in?"

"Of course," Senia stepped out of the way to give Luca more room to enter.

"So where's Sebastian?" Luca asked as he started walking towards the living room, which was where they usually hung out.

"He's out running errands. Shouldn't be back for awhile," Senia answered, choosing instead to start climbing the stairs. Luca raised an eyebrow but said nothing as he began following her.

"So I've noticed you two have been really happy lately, Senia,"

"Really? I haven't noticed a difference,"

"Well, it may just be my imagination, but you're both a lot…brighter? I guess you can say. Like the jabs you guys throw at each other are actually jokes the other enjoys,"

"Well, we have tried to become closer as siblings. Maybe that's what you're noticing,"

"Maybe," Senia led the way into her room, Luca following behind a tad bit slower. "So what do you do when Sebastian's gone?" Luca asked, scanning around the room. He had been in it plenty of times before but besides the first time he came in here, Sebastian had been here too. Now noticing exactly where he was and who he was with, Luca tried to distract his mind from going places.

"I was just practicing my music. Focusing on my violin skills this week. Please, take a seat wherever," Senia explained as she paused and wrapped her tentacles around her eyes. Luca glanced around the room before sitting at a little tea table near the bed. Hearing him sit down, Senia walked over and sat across from him. "So Luke, ask me something," Luca began pondering the demand he had been giving plenty of times by the female. After straining his brain for a question he hadn't already asked before, one came to mind. It was prying but maybe she'll be willing to talk without Sebastian nearby.

"How often do you see your dad?" Senia lost her smile as she crossed her arms.

"More often than I would like," Luca gave a sad look as he dug deeper.

"What did he do to make you hate him so much?" Senia turned her head away from Luca, as if even her blind eyes didn't want to look at him.

"He can hardly be classified as a father. There was never any compassion or care. He just runs our family like a business. It's been that way ever since the first one was born...He never really..." Luca was silent for a moment, expecting her to continue when she took a deep breath. "So yeah, that's why I hate my father," She finished. "So my turn for a question right?" Luca sat back in his seat, not surprised at her sudden cut off but wanting more. He respected her boundaries and decided to drop the subject.

"Yeah. It's your turn,"

"Alright then. Luca, what do you think defines a 'bad person'?" The question caught Luca off guard as he tilted his head in confusion.

"A bad person?" Senia simply nodded.

"Yes. A bad person. What qualities to you think make a person, unsavory?" Luca thought about it for a moment. A bad person? Did this have something to do with her dad? Regardless Luca started thinking of qualities.

"I think...they have to be mean. They have to not care about other people's wellbeing, and don't care if they hurt someone," Senia turned back to Luca with a quizzical look on her face.

"Hm. But what if they know what they're doing is bad, or degrading. They just do it because they know it's the only way to get by?" Was that some type of defense? That didn't sound like something Senia would be giving her father. Maybe she was thinking of someone else.

"Well, I'm sure whatever the reason for them to do something to become a bad person, they could've gotten by without doing it," Senia closed her eyes and smiled, wrapping her tentacles around once again.

"What a nice thought," She whispered. Luca was about to question what she meant when she spoke up again. "Well Luke. It's your turn for a question," Luca pondered what he should ask next. Obviously anything about her father would sour her mood, so maybe something on the other end of the spectrum.

"What's you're brother like?" Senia grew a smirk and raised an eyebrow.

"Sebastian is a lazy slob who means well,"

"You know that's not what I mean," Luca playfully argued. They both shared a small laugh as Senia took a deep breath.

"He's…too caring. More responsible than either Sebastian or I will ever be. He always puts us above himself yet never considers what'll happen to us if…" Senia suddenly stopped. Luca subconsciously leaned forward, eager for more information. "Let's just say he's really important to Sebastian and I," Senia said standing up. She made quick yet careful steps around Luca, choosing to take a seat on her bed instead. "So my turn for a question right?" Luca nodded, once again forgetting that Senia couldn't see the gesture. He gave his answer while turning his chair around to better look at her.

"Have you ever kissed a girl?" And just like that, a huge monkey wrench was jammed right into the cogs of Luca's brain. The stuttering attempts at a response caused Senia's lips to curve upward in amusement. "Oh? A boy then?" Luca's face was practically the same shade as his tentacles at the comment.

"No I haven't! I haven't kissed anyone…"

"What? Not a single kiss from anyone?" Luca held his head down in embarrassment.

"Well it hasn't been that long since I took my form, and even before that I told you I didn't even have friends let alone someone to do…that stuff with," Luca looked up to see Senia gently tap the area beside him. He could feel his heart thumping in his chest as he swallowed. Almost in a trance, he stood up and took a seat next to her. The Inkling girl scooted a bit closer and slowly traced around until her hand rested on his.

Luca looked at the gesture before looking up towards her face, blush still deeply adorning his face. Senia slowly removed her tentacles from her eyes and Luca could swear she was staring straight at him, into his very soul. Everything was quiet for awhile as the two simply stared at each other. Senia's hold on Luca's hand tightened only slightly as she slowly began to lean forward. Luca's could hear his heart thumping in his ears as the Inkling girl shortened the distance between them.

Luca stood frozen as Senia paused a mere hair's breath away. He was yearning so desperately for her to remove that final distance as his own nervousness kept him in place. Senia closed her eyes, and slowly, he did too.

Ever so gently Senia pressed her lips against his. Luca took a slow and drawn out inhale as Senia gently pressed her lips to his. It was such a soft, sweet kiss that the longer it went on, the less he wanted it to end. At the same time his mind was overrun with thoughts of his inexperience. Was he being gentle enough? Maybe too gentle? Perhaps he should adjust his head a little. Before he could get the answers to his question, Senia slowly pulled away. Luca opened his eyes, head still swimming from the lip lock. Senia leaned forward, lips still parted just slightly in front of him.

"Did you like it?" She whispered. Luca could only give a soft nod in response, head too out of it to form proper words. Senia gently placed her lips back on his, starting a second, slightly harder kiss. Her free hand found it's way to Luca's chest and made its way up, the other following suite until her arms were wrapped around his neck.

Luca,extremely into the kiss and not quite sure what he should be doing, tentatively wrapped his arms around her waist. Senia wrapped her tentacles around Luca's, gently pulling him forward and deepening the kiss even further. She slowly yet determinedly positioned herself on Luca's lap.

This gesture gave enough of a jolt to Luca's system to cause him to pull away slightly. His eyes traveled down to how Senia straddled his body, the scene itself being blocked by the frills of the dress she wore. Senia didn't seem bothered by him pulling away. In fact her breath was coming out in slow, deep breaths as a predatory smirk graced her face.

"Senia…I…"

"Yes?" Senia responded, grinding herself against Luca's lap. His breath and whatever words were coming out got caught in his throat. Senia giggle and began slowly nipping and biting at Luca's shoulder. Every action she did causing Luca's head to swim more and more. But somewhere in that drowning mess, a little voice still called out to him.

"Are you sure…we should be?…"

"We should be what Luke?" Senia pured, her voice coming out soft against his shoulder blades.

"Doing…this," He breathed out. Senia's lips curved upward as she leaned back.

"And what exactly is, 'this' Luca? I'm just sharing the experience with you," Luca could feel the beat of his heart throbbing in his head, among other places. And if the look she was giving him and the sound of her voice indicated anything, Luca knew just what kind of 'experience' she was suggesting.

"Still, my dad said I should wait until I'm married and with someone I l-…" Luca colored more and looked away.

"And do you always do what daddy says?" Senia teased.

"N-no! It's just that…" Senia gently placed a finger over Luca's mouth, guiding his head to look at her.

"This is good a place to fall, as any," She sang. Her other hand reaching up to her own shoulder. Luca swallowed as her hand trailed down his chin towards his chest. "We'll build our alter here," So tortuously slow, Senia let her dress fall down her shoulder, draping around her waist. Luca stared as she exposed her bare breasts to him, his eyes instantly locking onto the pink nipples standing erect. Senia smirked, cupping her small breasts with one hand and having the other trail slowly down Luca's chest to the bottom of his shirt.

"Make me your Maria," Luca, so entranced by what was going on in front of him, didn't noticed how he was slowly scooting backwards, Senia still cradling him. She started lowering her head to his stomach, slowly pulling his shirt up and raising her rear towards the air. "I'm already on my knees," She whispered. She slowly trailed her tongue from his waistline to his bellybutton, Luca shivering the entire time.

Still spreading butterfly kisses over Luca's abdomen, Senia hooked her index finger around the top of his pants, and the thumb of her other hand over the back of her dress. She slowly pulled down on both, having a bit more trouble with Luca's garments than her own. Luca's eyes shot up to her raised rear, dawned in white lace panties. He swallowed as he sat on her bed in only a shirt and his underwear while she sat in just her bottoms cradling him. Senia leaned back, letting Luca take in all of her.

With her knees on either side of him, Senia pressed her sex against his. Another tingle shot up Luca's spine as the moist spot on her panties pressed against him.

"If you want to stop just tell me. And I will," Senia leaned in close, letting her hand snake their way under his shirt as she whispered in his ear. "But I really don't want to," She purred, grazing her teeth against his ear. "Come on Luke. Just say yes," She purred hovering her lips over his. Luke, now completely drunk off her managed to breathe out a low

"Ok," Senia's smile widened as one of her hands snaked under Luca's underwear. Luca tensed as her hand gripped him. She raised herself up again,pulling Luca's underwear down and directing his penis towards its destination. She hooked a thumb under her panties and pulled them to the side, Luca watching every move she made with the same form of nervousness from when the doctor preps the needle.

Senia let out a long, drawn out moan as she slowly impaled herself on Luca's dick. Luca felt his toes curl and he gripped the sheets as Senia slowly took him all in. Once fully sheath, Senia turned towards Luca with a smile.

"Does it feel good?" She moaned, wriggling her hips around.

"Yeah…it feels amazing…" Senia's smile brightened at the comment. She leaned back, propping herself on one hand while spreading herself with the other.

"You see where we're connected right? You see where we become one?" She questioned, slowly bouncing against him faster and faster. Her breath becoming increasingly ragged as Luca moaned out a response. Luca was more than lost in the moment. His fingers dug into her hips as if to guide them, but Senia was in complete control as she made the bed play its own wonderful tune.

Luca watched what she wanted, her fingers playing around the edges of her opening as she took his entirety again and again. The room was filled with sounds Luca had never experienced before and wanted more of. He wasn't sure how long Senia continued bouncing and grinding herself against him, but he did know that he could feel something building up.

"Senia…I think I'm about to-"

"Not yet," She gasped, pressing her chest against his, not missing a beat in her rhythm. "I'm so close. Just a little longer Luke darling," Luca groaned, calling forth as much will power as he could to complete the request. Senia continued to bounce against him, her moans picking up in pitch while Luca's turned into grunts.

"Senia…I'm…!"

"Right there! Right there!" With one mighty grunt and a scream of ecstasy, Senia leaned back, a wave of her juices covering Luca's lap as he shot his seed over her stomach. She panted as her breath slowly returned to normal. She slowly dragged a finger across her belly, wiping up some of his seed and putting it in her mouth. "Mmmmm. Excellent work holding out Luke. If you had broke a second sooner you would've came in me," Senia seductively said. Luca was too busy coming down from his high to fully grasp her words. Nonetheless, Senia slowly removed herself, gave a finishing peck to mini Luke and began gathering her clothes.

"Wasn't that fun Luke?" Senia asked. "We definitely have to do it again sometime,"

"We…we do?" Luca parroted, sitting up on his elbows. Senia nodded and began heading towards her room's bathroom.

"Of course! You enjoyed yourself didn't you?" That was a complete understatement but Luca didn't know how to put it into actual words. "Well, I'm going to go take a shower. You got me all dirty you know. If you're still here when I get out, we can hang until Sebastian comes back,"

"Y-yeah. That sounds like an idea," Luca answered as Senia walked into the bathroom, leaving him alone with his thoughts.

* * *

Inkay ran into the meeting room, fully adorned in his Agent 3 gear. Dressed in similar attire, Agents 1, 2, and 4 sat around a circular table. Dressed in formal suit, Apalo sat on the end opposite to the door. All wore saddened expressions but Apalo looked positively pale. As if he had stared death in the eye seconds before Inkay stepped into the room. Agent 1 was gently rubbied his back while the others waited for Inkay to take a seat.

"So guys….What happened?" The Agents looked between each other before looking back at Inkay.

"You…know Squidville…right?" Agent 1 asked. Inkay didn't bother answering. Of course he knew Squidvile. It was the biggest city in the state. Such a silly question obviously didn't deserve an honest answer.

"Well…" Agent 2 continued. "There no longer _is_ a Squidville…"

* * *

 **Sorry about the long wait guys. I sort of lost motivation on continuing the story. It's at the point where you're ready to get to the good stuff but I still have to do all these buildup chapters. *sigh* The struggle of being a writer. This big chapter makes up for the absence though doesn't it? Yes? No? Maybe so? Alright no...I'm sorry...**

 **So a shout out towards Wampumpeag. Everytime I was preparing to start adding to this chapter I'd get either distracted by Battleborn, Overwatch, This War of Mine, Etc. and just not do it. But this person messaged me requesting me to update the story. Which I was gonna do anyway, just, whenever. Remembering there are some people that really like the story. And to you people, I thank you. Moral of the story: Reviews=motivation=faster chapters. So remember that guys.**

 **Also, sorry Wampumpeag. I didn't upload before school, I am at school finishing it off. Such a slacker. ;-; But I've only been here a day so...And speaking of school, I have a class that I have to find and be at in 10 minutes so, Until next time!**

 **Astalabyebye,**

 **Bang**


	8. Roller Coaster of Events

Luca didn't think this was the 'afterglow' he had heard about. All those fanfiction stories had him believe that after a couple…you know…there was always this cuddle time where they would talk on how 'amazing' or 'mind blowing' what just happened was. But here he sat alone. The sound of the shower further proof of how the nearest person was so far away.

He stared at the door in silence. His arms were propped up on either side of him as if resting them on his lap was now a grave sin. His mom would murder him. His father would probably give him that stern look and head shake that said "I'm not mad. I'm just disappointed." Luca didn't know which was worse. His parents had made it very clear that he should wait til marriage before establishing the closest connection two people could make. His father being more lenient by adding on if he did go that far before marriage, at least use a condom. He hadn't even did the 'at least' part!

His head was swarming with so many thoughts that he felt his eyes would swirl-over at any minute. Did Senia actually have feelings for him? Or was he just used as a toy? Bang buddies? Luca didn't think he was emotionally stable enough for that kind of relationship. Was Senia the kind of girl who would get into one though? She obviously knew what she was doing. There wasn't a nerve in his shoulder that she didn't attack. But she was barely any older than him. She looked so sweet and innocent. And her mannerism definitely didn't seem like someone who would fool around with a lot of people. She sounded high-class for whatever reason. How many people had she banged before him?

Luca groaned and brought a hand to his head. His mother had warned him how the pretties smiles hid the biggest fangs, and he thought it would be so easy to just say 'no', but Senia did a great job in putting him under her spell. Luca turned back towards the bathroom door and just waited. She couldn't be in there much longer, right?

Meanwhile Senia was humming a cheery little tune in the shower. Her fingers lathered the soap over her tentacles and the rest of her body. The warm clear liquid only served to brighten her mood even further as she twirled around in it, enjoying the feeling of it against her skin. She was just so excited and she could barely hide it! A big smile was plastered on her face. She was gonna have to make sure Sebastian and her older brother didn't find out, but she was sure it would all work out in the end. It was just a matter of surviving til then.

Once properly clean, Senia grabbed her towels and began drying herself. She wrapped one around her tentacles and another around her body and exited the bathroom. In the bedroom, Luca had somewhat pieced together the questions he wanted to ask. He looked up once when the water stopped running and again when the door opened.

Just like that, every tangible thought in his head shattered. Senia stepped into the room, still glistening from the shower. The towel she wore barely covered either the north or south regions. Luca was sure that if he tilted his head just slightly, he could see all the areas the towel was supposed to keep from view. The same went for if she bent over the slightest for the top half.

Still with a smile on her face and a merry tune leaving her throat, Senia walked over to her closet and began grabbing her things to wear. Her rear peeked from under the towel with the slightest movement. All of which Luca's eyes caught. He swallowed and Senia seemed to perk up at the sound.

"See something you like Luke?" Senia purred causing Luca's eyes to widen. Senia turned on a dime, clothing she pulled out firmly grasped between her fingers. She took quick, sultry steps towards Luca. He wasn't hard to find, having not moved from his original spot on the bed. Once she reached him, she leaned over him, a predator like smirk on her face. It certainly made him feel like a minnow staring down a shark. "You haven't answered me, darling." Luca responded with a loud gulp followed by him attempting to but failing to make words. "You're so adorable, Luke."She teased before giving Luca a quick peck on the lips.

"Don't…tease me…" Luca whispered. Senia chuckled at him again before rubbing her hand up his arms.

"You know Luke, I was thinking while I was in the shower." Luca felt a chill go up his spine at her touch. "I was being a bit selfish earlier wasn't I? I mean…that was your first time right?"

"Y-yeah…"

"And I just rushed to the main event. No foreplay or pillow talk or anything." Senia playfully whined. "So I was thinking…" She teased, gently pulling Luca's hands up with one of hers. "Next time, we'll take it nice and slow." She guided Luca's hands to her waist, leading them to caress her rear and thigh. Though her hands guided his, his fingers were more than willing to explore on their own. Her body seemed even softer than before from the shower. He squeezed and shifted the flesh in his hands and Senia bit her lip seductively. She hiked a leg up and propped her knee on the bed beside Luca, lifting the towel high enough to fully display her womanhood.

Luca eyed it hungrily as his internal debate picked up again. Any words still refused to come out as instead he felt his pants tighten as Senia guide his finger to the thing of his attention. He could feel the heat coming from it and his mind was filled with anticipation. Senia gave a smile as Luca cupped her, slowly inserting a testing finger. Senia gave off a soft moan in response.

Luca gently swirled around his finger, pumping it in and out to test Senia's reaction. Senia let out a louder moan as she held on to Luca's wrist, grinding herself onto his palm. Senia's motion of course edged Luca on and his body was completely ready for a round two, even if his mind wasn't. Almost as quickly as it began, Senia stopped it, pulling the fingers Luca had inside of her out and into her mouth. She swirled her tongue around and sucked lightly on the digits before letting them out of her mouth with a soft _pop._ She pressed Luca's hand against his chest.

"But we can't right now," She said with a wide smile. "I just got clean you know," Luca was dumbfounded. Was this what all the movies meant by the 'you're such a tease' phrase? Cause he certainly felt toyed with at the moment.

Without another word, Senia let go of Luca's hand and turned around, picking up the clothes she had sat down earlier. With her back still turned to Luca, she let her towel drop to the ground. She slowly dressed herself, going as far as to bend over more than necessary towards Luca. The hybrid was in the sweetest form of hell. He watched in stunned silence as Senia fully dressed herself.

Now sporting a frilly white dress, with equally frilly lace underwear underneath, Senia turned towards Luca and gave a smile. Not one that was predator-like like the one before. It was a sweet gentle smile that made Luca all fuzzy inside. More than he already was.

"Care to come downstairs and get something to drink with me?" Senia asked. Luca gave a stuttered yes and rose from his seat, following Senia out of the room. He trailed behind in silence, trying to put his thoughts in a coherent form. They reached the kitchen and Luca took a seat at the table as Senia went to the fridge. "I should know where everything is unless Sebastian moved it. Anything in particular sound good on your tongue?" The response that came to mind wasn't a clean one.

"Anything is good. Surprise me," Luca answered instead of the first idea. Senia grabbed two drinks and returned to the table. She sat a grape soda in front of her and a peach one in front of Luca. "Thank you…So Senia…"

"Yes Luke?"

"I was thinking…if you want, we could go…and uh…maybe…"Luca's voice trailed off as Senia's face slowly turned into a look Luca couldn't quite read. Disappointment? Concern? She was obviously thinking something over and the thought of saying something that upset her pushed him into silence.

"Are you asking me on a date, Luke darling?" Luca's face colored as he swallowed again.

"I mean…if you're okay with that." Senia's face stayed pretty much emotionless until a small smile graced her lips.

"Sure. How about tomorrow?" Luca perked up, honestly expecting her to say no for one reason or another. To say something along the lines of 'nah, I just wanted you for sex' or something.

"Tomorrow?" Luca parroted.

"Well sure. I'm positive it'll be fun. You can plan it today and we'll go out tomorrow. Sound good?" Luca gave an excited 'yes!', which in turn made Senia giggle. "Though if you don't mind, would it be a burden to keep this a secret from Sebastian?" Luca tilted his head and raised a brow in confusion.

"What? Why?"

"He may not show it, but he gets really emotional. I think it's just better to keep this underwraps for now." Luca didn't quite understand it but if it was a request. He agreed. "Wonderful! Thank you Luke. I'm sure you'll plan out a wonderful day." Senia gave Luca a bright smile and looking at her beam, he smiled too.

* * *

"What do you mean 'there no longer _is_ a Squidville'? An entire city doesn't just disappear Number 2!" Inkay's eyes were in this odd state where he tried to narrow them with a calm collected stare, but fear was clawing them upward. His hands were balled up at his sides as he looked to the people in the room. Agent 4 squeezed his eyes shut and looked away. Apalo had his fist clasped together and his head resting on it like he was praying. His breathing was uneven as if he was trying not to burst into tears, which Agent 3 assumed he had before judging by how Agent 1 continued to rub his back.

"I mean that the entire city is gone. Skyscapers, cars…the people…Everything has been destroyed…" Agent 2 had her hands folded calmly on the table but Agent 3 knew her. She was panicking. The way that her eyes looked _through_ him instead of at him and the way her thumbs anxiously strummed at each other. She was losing it just as bad as the rest were.

"But…what could have done that? What weapon could…possibly destroy an entire city so quickly?" Inkay could feel his legs shake beneath him. His heart beat quicken in fear of the unknown. A side of him wanting to see what did it. To see what could cause such destruction. The other side didn't want to. To see the weapon would be to confirm its existence, rooting it into reality and proving it to be real.

"That's the thing." Apalo said sitting up, his eyes closed as he breathed uneven breaths through his nose. "I received…a video on my way to work this morning…It was left outside my door. I didn't watch it in fear of being late and as soon as I reached the building I was hit with the news."Apalo reached into his suit pocket and pulled out a blue disc.

"So you think this disc is related to the bombing?"

"I don't know Agent 3. For all I know it could be a cocky youth passing around his mix tape. But…I didn't want to view it alone in case." Agent 3 nodded and as Agent 1 gently took the disc from Apalo. She moved over to the computer and placed this disc in. A projector turned on as the disc loaded and an image appeared on the wall.

It was a city line. Squidville's to be exact. In the distance you could see cars traveling to and from the city. The camera was propped up on a hill quite a bit away from the city. The video was silent for a moment before a voice spoke up.

"Sure is beautiful isn't it?" Agent 4's eyes widened as Agent 3's fists clenched tighter at his sides. The camera was picked up and turned around to no longer show the city, but the camera man. Bright green eyes peered over a taunting smile. Yellow tentacles framed the face of the camera man as Agent 3 grinded his teeth together.

"Agent 3…is that?…"

"Yeah number one…that's the guy." Agent 3 growled as the figure on the screen chuckled.

"Now you're probably wondering, 'why is he so far away if all the beauty is over there?'" The figure turned the camera back towards the city. "Well let me tell you. I don't really give a damn about this city. It's all hustle and bustle. Work this and build that. No one ever takes the time, to appreciate the little things in life. " The Inkling turned the camera back to himself. "I always was more of a fan of Inkopolis. Those people know how to party! And the girls like to carry a little junk if you know what I mean." The Inkling winked and nudged at the camera as if talking to old friends as everyone in the room were practically steaming out the ears.

"Unfortunately," the Inkling continued, "my fun, has been constantly crashed! By the likes of your FUCKING agents! And I am tired of it! You even had the gall to tell the public about me!" The Inkling's face turned into a scowl as he yelled into the camera. "So I decided, to issue you a little warning. Now like I said, I like Inkopolis, so I would like to keep it in one piece. For…reasons. But this place," The Inkling turned the camera back towards the city. "I don't care what happens to it. So I decided, that this place would be the perfect area, to show off my new toy. It should be activating any second now." The Inkling zoomed in towards the city as a small speck could be seen rising over the skyscraper.

"Is that an Inkstrike?" Apalo muttered to himself as he scooted further in his seat to see better.

"There it is! Oooooo, this is gonna be amazing!" The Inkling yelled as he aimed the camera at the speck. It rose to a point higher than any of the skyscrapers before coming to a stop, gravity pulling it back towards the earth. When it disappeared behind the buildings again, the Inkling zoomed the camera back to get the entire view of the city back into frame. "Here it comes…" There was a flash of light before a large _boom_ rang out. A cloud of debris shaped like a mushroom slowly consumed the city.

All present in the room went wide eyed at the level of damage as the cloud consumed the entire city and then some. A force of wind could be seen traveling across the area, eventually reaching the Inkling and knocking him off balance a bit. He quickly regained his footing and kept the camera pointed towards what used to be a Squidville.

"Wow! That's a big one ain't it?" He hollered. The Inkling cackled until eventually the cloud died down. It took forever as all agents stared forward in shock. When the cloud somewhat settled, the city was all but flattened. Building near the epicenter of the blast were completely gone while chunks and debris were left of the outermost ones. A slow chuckle came from the Inkling.

"Welp…there you go. That was your _last_ warning. Have a beeeeaaautiful day." The video ended, leaving the room in silence. Agent 1 had her hands clasped over her mouth as Agent 2 had her fists clenched in her lap. Agent 3 fell to his knees as Agent 4 stared blankly at the table. Apalo stared at the black screen slack-jawed. They were all shaking.

"W….what kind of bomb…" Agent 4 started, "can do damage like that?" Tears ran from Agent 1's eyes as Agent 2 began taking quick inhales, biting her lips and squeezing her eyes shut to keep her tears from falling. Agent 3, now sitting flat on his rear from his legs giving out beneath him, slowly turned toward the table behind him.

"What…what do we do?" He asked. Apalo raised a shaking hand to his face, running it along his brow and trying his best to calm his nerves. "Do we announce this to the public?"

"No!" Apalo blurted as he shot up from his seat. "We can't! It was my decision to keep the public informed that caused this!" Apalo's fists were now clenched at his sides as he fought back fearful tears of his own. "The criminal is clearly still in the kidnapping game as well. If we announce that he has a soft spot for Inkopolis, then neighboring cities will have their population flock here in hopes of safety."

"And feeding the number of prey he has…"Agent 4 added, looking up.

"So what do we do?!" Agent 3 shot up, standing on the opposite side of the table to Apalo. "Stand here with our thumbs up our asses and continue to let him snatch people off the streets?!"

"No Agent 3. We just have to tread carefully. You and Agent 4 will have to keep an eye out for him. But…it would be dangerous if you continue to carry around all your weapons…he'll know we're still chasing him. You'll have to carry something light and inconspicuous . Searching in a group may also make him feel threatened and more likely to bomb the city." Agent 3 and 4 looked at each other. Take him on alone? They barely lasted together. But they both could see this fierce determination in the other person's eyes. This guy had to be stopped. He couldn't be allowed to continue to run free. "Engaging him should only happen if you're one hundred percent certain that you can take him out. We can't risk him escaping and getting angry if he has access to weapons that powerful." Agents 3 and 4 looked at Apalo and nodded when Agent 4 remembered something.

"Wait! After Cerata beat him, he said something…discouraging…" The group looked towards Agent 4 with dread in the eyes. "He said something about 'the old man having his ass' or something. He can't be working alone." Apalo's shoulders slumped and he took a deep breath before angrily slamming his fist on the table.

"Damn it! This complicates the situation greatly! If there's another presence behind all this then for all we know this guy is just a decoy! If he's the errand boy then the person he's referring to is the one with the actual access to the weapons!"

"Meaning stopping him won't be the end of it. We have to figure out who else is involved…" Agent 2 added. Apalo took another deep breath and squeezed the bridge of his nose.

"I hate to add more pressure to you two, but if possible it would be great if you managed to restrain him. Bring him in for questioning. If that doesn't seem doable then by all means, go for the kill. But bringing him in alive would be great help in stopping all this for good." Agents 3 and 4 nodded as Apalo sat back down. "So many years without a problem…and now this…" Apalo rubbed his eyes with a groan. Agent 2 brought a shaky hand to his shoulder and gave it a soft squeeze.

"Whatever it takes, we'll find a way to bring him to justice." There was a collective nod at Agent 1's words.

"Speaking of justice, 1, 2, and 3, I need you to head over to what used to be Squidville." All agents looked at Apalo.

"What? You want us to leave the city now of all times?" Agent 3 had already began scowling at his superior.

"But we haven't even managed to look over the mask found at 3 and 4's last fight. It might have clues on the whereabouts of this group!" Agent 1 added.

"I understand where you're coming from, but this isn't something that can simply be hidden. An entire city has been destroyed. The only reason it hasn't hit the news yet is because the news crews at the city were destroyed with it. I assure you that it will be over all media within the hour at least. If a calamity of this size isn't looked at by the best agents, then the public's panic will only increase. Knowing you three are looking over things will bring at least a little peace of mind. Remember, they don't know you've all been working on anything up til this point." The agents held their heads down in silence. "Besides, Agent 4 can carry the bulk of whatever happens until you get back."

"Yeah. I promise you Inkopolis will be in even better shape when you come back." Agent 4 said throwing his colleagues a smile and a thumbs up. They didn't bother to return the falseness in it.

"Alright. We'll leave immediately." Agents 1 and 2 looked at 3 in surprise.

"What?"

"Are we really going to just go?"

"There's a chance we may find something else there. And we really don't need more panic than what's already gonna build up." Agent 3 stood up and gave Apalo a nod. The Octoling nodded back with a sigh.

"Be careful agents. Watch your backs and be prepared for anything." Agent 3 didn't say anything as he exited the room with narrowed eyes.

* * *

Matzuo sat on a park bench. His arm spread along the backside with his eyes wandering around. There were a few people around and his eyes darted to each of them. Some were alone. Some were with friends. Some laughed with lovers. Some were on some device or another. Each person Matzuo scanned over brought the same question to his head. Are they good people?

Of course they all _looked_ like good people. But Matzuo knew that some people hid a much darker side. He'd grown to be weary of smiles in public. His fingers strummed the faded wood of the bench as he sat judging those around him. They all were hiding something. Matzuo could see it. A lot of them, all of which were with others, held fake smiles. The look in their eyes were all but genuine. Which made the question rise up even louder. Are they good people?

Just how dark were the secrets they were keeping? Would their companions still be smiling if they knew them? These were the thoughts that plagued Matzuo when he was alone. He went from silently watching to scowling at those around him. His pocket vibrated and yanked him from his thoughts. He reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone. A picture of Cereza greeted him on the screen. Though it was enough to wipe the scowl off his face, Matzuo didn't crack a smile.

Cereza was hiding something too. But what he couldn't quite tell. It didn't seem like she was hiding something that wouldn't make her a good person. More so she hid something that showed how others weren't good people. Matzuo found himself wanting to know her secrets. The tales she wouldn't tell anyone else. And because of that he had become attached to every move she made. He looked at the message that showed up beneath her.

 _Hi there! How are you? :3_

Matzuo cracked a smile at the message. He ran his thumb over his reply.

 _Looking forward to seeing you later. :)_

 _Not as much as me. ;)_

 _Then why not push up the meeting time? I'm willing to meet up now._

 _Can't. About to start a movie with my friends._

 _But we can meet afterwards. :D_

 _Can't wait._

 _Yay! I'll see you later._

Matzuo locked his phone and took a deep breath. Now all he had to do was find a way to kill some time.

* * *

Sebastian hummed a tune to himself. His bag of groceries swayed with his body as he walked with a small pep to his step. His tentacles were down like a certain hybrid, and he sported his signature blue hoodie. Things were going excellent. He had a best friend, his relationship with his sister was the brightest it had been for a long time, he hadn't heard from his dad for a while, and they were having taco salad for dinner! Sebastian began to wonder if these good things would still be happening if he hadn't decided to talk to Luca. He made a mental note to thank Luca later.

He reached his home and fumbled around for the keys, pulling out his little ring of keys with a small crown keychain dangling besides the door key. He unlocked the door and made his way in.

"Hey Senia! I'm home! I got the stuff for the salad." He headed towards the kitchen to put all of the things he bought down. "I was thinking we could try the extra spicy sauce toni-" Sebastian paused when he saw Luca sitting across from Senia at the kitchen table. Senia gave her brother a large smile.

"Oh? Feeling adventurous today, brother?" Senia teased. Sebastian chuckled and sat the bags down.

"Just call me Jones." Sebastian looked over to Luca with a smile. "Luke I didn't know you'd be joining us today. I thought you had training with your dad." Luca reached up and ran his hand over his tentacles with a smile of his own.

"Something came up at work. So I decided to come hang out with you guys. But since you weren't here I just hung out with Senia."

"Behaving yourselves I hope." Sebastian said as he began placing items in their designated places. Luca stole a glance at Senia and saw the edges of Senia's mouth curve upwards slightly before she stood to join him at the counter.

"Of course. What do you think we are, some kind of savages?" Sebastian chuckled as Senia stood beside him. He began handing her various items, calling out what they were before giving them to her. Luca silently watched the system they had going.

"Chips." Senia grabbed the bag and sat it on the counter. "So what did you guys do while I was away?" Sebastian asked.

"Just talked. Joked around and things like that." Luca said also standing to join the siblings at the counter. "Can I help?"

"Of course. Put all the drinks in the frig." Sebastian handed Luca the items with a smile and Luca obeyed.

"Yeah, Luca and I spent the day just getting to know each other better." With a heated face Luca dared steal a glance towards Senia, who seemed to throw him a knowing look.

"That's always fun. So Luca, you gonna stay for dinner? Senia and I make a mean taco salad." Sebastian asked he had already began unwrapping the meat for the meal.

"I mean, do you have enough? I don't want to overload you guys."

"Please. Sebastian always eats enough for three people, so we always buy more than we need." Senia smirked at her younger brother and he gave a tired one back.

"Come on sis. I don't eat like that."

"Well you're right. But I didn't want to give Luke the actual number. It'll just prove how much of a pig you are." Senia and Luca shared a laugh as Sebastian gave a chuckle.

"Why you gotta be like this, sis?" Sebastian playfully whined, handing her a head of lettuce. Senia began daintily pulling the vegetable apart.

"I tease because I love you brother." Sebastian froze. His movements came to such a stop that Luca stopped to look at him. Sebastian turned towards Senia, his eyes wide and mouth parted slightly. Senia simply continued what she was doing without skipping a beat. Sebastian stared at her silently for a moment. Luca tried to get a good view of his face but all he could see was the back of his head.

He slowly turned his head back towards what he was doing, his tentacles blocking some of his face from Luca. From what he saw, Sebastian had a crooked smile on his face. Sebastian's fingers gripped the edge of the counter for awhile before he continued his task.

"Heh. Heheh. I love you too sis." Somehow, the room seemed so much more comforting all of a sudden. Sebastian raised his head, giving Luca a bright smile. "Now you gotta stay for dindin, Luca." He beamed. Luca couldn't help but beam just as brightly at him.

"Sure. Just let me call my mom."

* * *

A pair of electric green eyes glared forward, walking through the dark, empty halls of the base he resided in. He wasn't in his standard mission gear. Instead he wore a pair of lounge pants and a plain white T-shirt. One of his arms hung loosely beside him. The other delicately held on to a rather large piece of pound cake.

He walked calmly towards his destination. His face was contorted in focus. The only sound was of his footfalls against the floor. He passed a few doors on his journey, all were a cold steel with small one way windows on them. He ignored them completely as he walked.

Eventually, he came upon a different door. It was a warm brown wooden door that stood out greatly to the mechanical like surroundings. He reached the door and pushed it open. On the other side was a standard bedroom. It was a dark red with a mahogany dresser and nightstands with a little wear and tear here and there. The bed had a big fluffy wine colored quilt on it and even fluffier pillows. The room didn't have a window in it. Instead it had a girl.

An Octoling girl. Dull yellow tentacles draped her face as she hung shackled to the wall by her wrists. Her breathing was slow and haggard. The Inkling watched her chest rise and fall with so little movement the untrained eye would think she was dead. The various marks and bruises covering her body further supporting that argument. The Inkling took a moment to look over her frame.

Once light brown colored skin was now a purplish-blue in varying shades. Her legs touch the ground but they were practically props rather than functioning limbs based on how they slouched lifelessly. He didn't even want to think about the dried substances on the girls inner thighs and stomach. The Inkling looked upwards. He didn't even know the girl's eye blindfold was apparently a necessity but he couldn't help but wonder.

He took steps forward until he stood directly in front of her. With his free hand, he reached up and gently cupped her face. The smooth skin of his palm contrasting greatly to her bruised cheek. The cool touch of his hand caused her to jerk awake. Her breathing picked up as her face contorted to one of sadness. Her body began shaking slightly with the beginning of a fresh set of tears.

"Please…" Came her plea. Her voice was so broken and weak the Inkling wouldn't have even known she said anything if he hadn't seen her mouth move. He didn't say a word. He just continued to stare at her. The girl fled from his touch the best she could as he continued to just stare. Eventually he raised the cake in his hand towards her mouth. The girl instantly jerked away when something came close to her mouth. "No…Please…No…"

"Open." The Inkling commanded. The girl perked up at his voice. She opened her mouth without resistance. The Inkling inched the cake in her mouth and she took small but eager bites out of it. The Inkling stood there hand feeding the Octoling girl as she seemed to get a bit of strength back. She held herself up on her legs instead of simply dangling and her breathing was more noticeable. After she finished her food, the Inkling reached in his back pocket and pulled out a drink. He helped her down it as well with just as much care.

"Thank you." She said. Her voice was less ragged and scratched from the treatment. The Inkling simply glared at her. His fists clenched at his sides as he just looked at her. She was visibly calmer and that only made him glare harder.

Then the door knob jingled. The Inkling took a step back and turned towards the entrance. The Octoling girl flinched and her body tensed up. In the doorway was a male Octoling. His tentacles were a dark purple and draped around his head. One curved around from the back of his head to the left side of his neck. Another slightly longer one did the same on the opposite side while two shorter ones draped the front of his face. His sea green eyes looked over the intruder in the room then the prisoner. He smiled.

"Well well. Didn't expect you to visit little old me in my quarters." The Octoling said. The Inkling didn't respond as he eyed the person across from him. The Octoling chuckled lowly and began stalking towards his bed. It was then the Inkling noticed the body being dragged behind him by the collar. "I mean, you wouldn't be here to visit that thing, would you?" The Octoling said gesturing to the girl chained to the wall. He chuckled again and threw the limb body on his bed. An Inkling girl with bright blue tentacles and pale skin sat limp in the spot. Her eyes were blindfolded like the Octoling girl. The boy walked to the head of the bed, pulling out strings of chain to latch to the girl's wrists. "That would be just silly." The Inkling boy ran a hand down his face and took a deep breath.

"You're treating them harsher than necessary." He said. The Octoling boy smiled a wide smile.

"Poor _soft_ little Mi-"

"Don't call me that." The Octoling glared back at the Inkling who returned it just as fiercely. The two sat silently staring at each other before the Octoling relented, sighing and shrugging his shoulders.

"Fine then. What do you want me to call you?"

"Lucius." The Inkling responded. The Octoling raised an eyebrow before shrugging it off.

"Well poor soft little _Lucius_." He spat. "I can treat them as harshly as I want." The Octoling reached over and harshly gripped the unconscious Inkling girl's cheeks, forcing her mouth to pucker. "These are the rejects. The ones that didn't agree with the serum. They were gonna be disposed of anyway. I thought I might as well use them for _something_ before then." Lucius tensed his fists as he stared at the tanned Octoling smiling up at him.

"What makes you think you have the right to keep them here?" The Octoling's smile shrunk but stayed. He stood up and walked over to the Inkling, his tentacles being the only reason he was taller than him.

"The old man told me 'son, you won the gene pool.' So I guess I had a head start on you fools. You had your chance to grow up and be king. But instead you chose this. You're, _nothing."_ Lucius's fist tightened again as the Octoling patted his cheek.

"Don't touch me, Dao." The Inkling hissed, causing the Octoling to smile wider.

"There's a reason you're just an errand boy Lucius. You're too soft. Too weak for what we have in the works." Dao taunted, walking over to the chained Octoling. "Isn't that right slut?" He said giving the blindfolded girl a harsh slap. She whimpered at the strike but made no other noise.

"You're not even in it for the outcome anymore. If you were they wouldn't be here." Dao chuckled again as Lucius gestured towards the two chained up girls. "You're just being a bad guy now." Dao walked back to Lucius.

"How bad can I be for indulging myself? I mean, it's not like I, I don't know. Blew up a city or something. I mean that sounds like a bad guy to me." Lucius snarled at the Octoling.

"I'm doing what is best for the mission, as is boss's orders. You're just being a demented monster."

"Yeah yeah." Dao waved off the accusation and took a few steps back, throwing off his jacket. "Big bad monster. I'll admit it. That's why I took a wrench when I went to the dentist. And my smile was dazzlin' after _bashin' his head in!"_ Dao roared as he lunged at Lucius. He grabbed the Inkling by the neck and lifted him off the ground with one arm. Lucius fumed, teeth bared as just as quickly he locked both of his legs to his chest. He shot them forward and kicked Dao in the chest, sending him flying to the opposite wall.

Lucius stalked towards the Octoling. His arms were tense enough to see the veins in them. The Octoling pushed himself up laughing, giving Lucius a proud smile as he rose completely to his feet.

"Not bad. Not bad at all. I remember a time where you would've just waited for me to let go." Lucius was still snarling as the Octoling casually picked up and placed fallen books back on the bookshelf. "You've grown so much." Lucius began a quick sprint towards Dao, who simply held a finger in front of him when Lucius got too close. "Nuh huh huh. You wouldn't start a fight in this small a room would you? Plus, what would 'the boss' think?" Snarling like an animal at the Octoling, Lucius turned and stormed his way out. Dao laughed as he removed his shirt and climbed onto the bed.

"Well, I guess it's time for this one's wake up call."

* * *

"Hello beautiful." Matzuo called as Cereza approached.

"Hi handsome." She retorted, color already tinging her cheeks. "How was your day?"

"Excited to show you the surprise I have for you." Matzuo lulled, lightly holding Cereza's hands in his.

"Ooooo, I love surprises. What is it?"

"Well it's a surprise because you don't know isn't it?" Cereza gave a pout and Matzuo laughed. "Don't worry, it's not too far. Just come with me." Cereza nodded and let Matzuo lead her away. The two walked hand in hand as Matzuo led her to his car. It was nothing too fancy, but it was obviously cleaned recently. The black exterior shined as the beige interior didn't have a speck of dirt. Cereza awed as she entered the passenger seat

"Ooooo. Looks fancy. You got a hot date or something tonight?" Cereza smirked causing Matzuo to give an amused smile.

"Something like that." He joked back. He drove the two a bit off the outside of the city, Cereza being an energetic ball of questions as usual. Matzuo was happy to answer them for her to the best of his abilities, but made sure to dodge around the ones about their destination. When they finally arrived, Cereza stepped out of the vehicle with a confused expression.

"Matzuo? Is this a…"

"Yep. It's a carnival." The Octoling boy smiled as he gestured to the darkened attractions. Eyes sparkling with intrigue, Cereza stared at the gate keeping them out.

"Doesn't look like it's open though." With a knowing smile, Matzuo walked up to the gate and pulled out a key. He shuffled it into it's place in the lock and pushed the gates open. He took a few steps in, flipped a switch, and the entire place lit up one by one.

Cereza's eyes followed the lights in amazement as they turned on. Music of varying kinds began playing throughout the place as she took slow steps towards Matzuo.

"Wow. But, how did…."

"I met the owner at work. Nice lady. Ran a few errands and she gave me the go ahead to use the facilities. As long as I don't break anything of course. The place opens tomorrow." There was a shine in Cereza's eyes as her grin grew wider.

"Must. Break. EVERYTHING!" Cereza screamed as she dashed by Matzuo.

"Hey! Wait!" Matzuo laughed as he raced after her. Cereza looked at all the rides and how they flashed in the darkening evening light. She was practically walking in circles unsure of where to begin. She turned towards Matzuo when he caught up, eyes still sparkling.

"Can we ride the rides?" She asked. Matzuo smiled at her excitement.

"Yep. Any ride you want." Cereza's smile widened and she grasped Matzuo's hand in hers.

"Then what are we waiting for?! Let's ride a coaster first!" She yelled dragging him off. The two took their time riding all the rides. The faster ones getting multiple turns. Some food stalls had a small amount of food. Plenty for two people but not as much as the stall would normally hold.

As the night came to its conclusion, Cereza decided that the final ride should be a slow one. So the two decided on the Ferris Wheel. They sat next to each other as they steadily rose higher and higher. It was quiet as the two stared out of the window.

"It's funny." Cereza said out of the blue. Matzuo looked at her as she stared out of the window to the city in the distance. "We're having fun just coming up this high, but we go in buildings higher than this all the time." Matzuo laughed.

"Yeah. But I guess those weren't meant for fun." The two shared another laugh as they stared at the skyscrapers in the distance. Cereza glanced down and noticed she had been holding his hand the entire time. She had held onto his hand as if he was the only thing keeping her rooted to this world. She had only let go when they needed to strap into a ride or needed to eat. She was sure to reestablish the link when they were done. She looked up towards Matzuo, his face being slightly outlined by the lights of the carnival as he stared out the window.

Cereza gulped. Now was the time Em had mentioned. Everything was so perfect! He had to be interested to go this far right? And he hadn't even tried to force her to do anything she didn't want up to this point. He seemed like an amazing guy. Now all she needed was just a moment of confidence. Throw caution to the wind for at least a bit. She steeled her nerves as she prepared to speak.

"M-Matzuo…"She breathed, unintentionally gripping his hand a bit harder. Matzuo looked at his hand before up to Cereza and she could feel her heart beating in her ears. His golden eyes were making her even more nervous than when they first met.

"You okay?" Matzuo asked. Cereza bit her bottom lip. Leaning forward she half expected him to do the opposite. Her paranoid mind was being a pain much more than any help. So instead she focused on the words she knew Em would say. She closed her eyes, hoping for Matzuo to meet her halfway.

Her phone vibrated against her thigh. A soft buzz in the background as she and Matzuo gently locked lips. To Cereza, it was electric. As soon as they made contact a pleasant jolt shot up her spine and she did a deep inhale with her nose, softly letting it out as the two scooted closer together. As slowly as it started, the kiss ended. The two parted and stared silently into the other's eyes. Matzuo gently cupped Cereza's cheek and leaned back in. Another kiss, just as sweet and delicate as the first. Cereza felt like she was filled with nothing but butterflies at the sensation.

Her phone vibrated again. Then again. Once more. The two broke apart and Cereza gave a sheepish smile as she bit her lip again.

"Sorry. Let me just see who this is." Matzuo smiled at her and she couldn't help but giggle as she reached in her pocket to her her phone. Her smile dropped at the messages from Em.

 _CEREZA! HAVE YOU HEARD!_

 _SOMETHING BAD HAPPENED TO SQUIDVILLE!_

 _WHERE ARE YOU?_

 _ARE YOU WITH LUKE?_

"Cereza?" Matzuo placed a hand on her shoulder as her expression turned to one of worry. She quickly began typing into her phone's browser. The color drained from her face at the search results. An entire city gone? How? What could possibly have that kind of power? Cereza looked up to Matzuo with worry and a trace of fear.

"Can you take me home? Please?"

* * *

Luca was walking home with a small smile on his face. A carryout of taco salad in his hands as he stepped off of the train leading to his home. Him and the siblings decided to play a few board games rather than anything TV related. The most shocking yet at the same time expected thing being how Senia thoroughly destroyed them at Bop-It. He was pretty sure if she hadn't decided to stop the toy would've just gave up itself.

Now he was walking up to his door steps, pulling out his key to open the door. He stepped in, discarding his jacket on the rack beside the entrance.

"Mom. Dad. I'm home." He began walking forward, preparing to go to his room and tell Eden about the…'events' that happened today. Before he could reach the stairs, his mother and sister turned the corner. "Cereza? Back again? Where's your boyfriend?" Luca joked, feeling a little playful after his day. He wasn't met with a retort. Instead, Cereza and Cerata wrapped their arms around him. Confused by the sudden family hug, Luca simply held them both. The looks on their face when they pulled back only skyrocketed his worry. He was quick to assume something bad happened to the family member who wasn't there. "Did something bad happen to dad?" Came his worried question.

"No Luca. Your dad's fine." Cerata said caressing her son's head. "But, he's gonna be away for awhile. Something came up." Luca tilted his head, worry still etched on his face.

"What came up?"

"Agent stuff. You see…" Cerata looked at her daughter then back to her son. "Something bad happened to Squidville." Luca could feel this sudden weight on his shoulders.

"Bad? How bad?" Cerata explained the situation to Luca to the best of her knowledge. "But…what about Eden?"

"We don't know. We tried to contact his parents but no one's answering…" Luca stood in shock. What a complete one-eighty this day had did.

"But there's a chance he's fine right? H-he could be visiting his grandparents. It is the weekend…right?" Cerata gave Luca a small smile.

"There's always that chance. But we don't know. We don't know his grandparents." Luca stared at the ground in disbelief.

"Luke? Are you okay?" Cereza asked as she placed her hand on his shoulder.

"Yeah…Yeah I'm fine. I just gotta lie down for a bit…" Luca muttered as he stepped by his family and walked up to his room. Cereza and Cerata gave worried glances towards each other.

Cereza waited for about an hour before checking in on Luca. She gently rapped on the door.

"Luca? Are you okay?" There was silence on the other side. "I'm coming in." She announced as she pushed the door open. She saw pretty much what she was expecting. The room was dark, with the glow of the computer screen and Luca's phone being the only light. Luca himself was sitting at his desk, head laying down on it in front of the screen. Cereza walked over to him and gently rubbed his back.

"I'm fine sis. No need to worry about me." Cereza only frowned. He didn't even bother to attempt to hide the computer screen filled with increasingly desperate attempts to get in contact with his friend.

"Luca…it's not okay. We talked about bottling it up. It's not good for you." Luca sighed and sat up, looking up to his sister.

"Cereza…I'm fine. I mean I'm a little sad but nothing too serious." Cereza slumped at his words. She moved her hand to his shoulder and squeezed it slightly.

"Luca-"

"I said I'm fine." Luca snapped, suddenly standing. "Just because I don't burst into tears like you doesn't mean I'm doing something wrong. I'm just trying to be strong like dad. He wouldn't cry. He would keep pushing forward without batting an eye."

"You know that's not true."

"Seems like it. I've never seen him cry." Luca said storming over to his bed. He crawled into it and laid down with his back to his sister. Cereza slowly stood up, her hands clasped together as she stared at the unmoving form of her brother. "Just go away." Her face looked a bit hurt but she stood in silence for a bit longer.

"Crybaby." Luca visibly flinched.

"Sis. Don't."

"Crybaby, crybaby."

"Sis…"

"Tears fall, to the ground." Luca shot up again. He slowly turned to his sister and stood up, his head held down. He paused in front of her with his fists clenched tightly at his sides. Slowly he looked up to her with tears streaming down his face. His green eyes a blurry mess.

"I just let them drown." He finished, taking the few steps to close the distance between he and his sister. He wrapped his arms around her waist and she held him against her chest as he sobbed. She slowly let the two slide down to the ground and held him, tears falling from her own eyes as the two cried together, siblings sharing their pain.

* * *

 **Hello Hello! How you guys been? Enjoy the chapter? Good, good. Me? Oh just getting my shit kicked in by Physics and DE. No biggy.**

 **But back to the chapter. So a lot of things happened. Luca has asked Senia out on an official date(after already doing the horizontal tango); we see what exactly happened to Squidville; we get the assailant's actual name, as well as a partner that he doesn't seem to agree with; Callie, Marie, and Inkay are heading to the bomb sight to investigate, Cereza and Matzuo have their first kiss; Cereza and Luca share a sibling moment that may seem a bit confusing. Don't worry, next chapter will explain it.**

 **Speaking of next chapter, it will be a bit closer. It's going to be a complete flashback chapter, shedding some light on Cereza and Luca's relationship. I hope you're looking forward to it.**

 **Welp, I have hw that I need to do now that I can't procrastinate it with this. Until next time.**

 **Astalabyebye,**

 **Bang**


	9. Horrible Kids

"Hey! Sweetie, wake up!" Cereza jolted awake and gripped the sheets around her. Her eyes darted around until they locked onto the familiar purple of her father, practically glowing in the darkness of the room. The small lime green night light illuminating his face just enough to show the look of concern. "Are you okay, baby?" Cereza relaxed at the low voice of her father and let out a small content breath.

"Yes, daddy. I'm okay," she whispered, bringing an undeveloped arm up to rub the grogginess out of her eyes. She was already thinking of excuses for why she jumped the way she did. Her daddy always worried for her when she had nightmares. While she prepared for the following questions of concern, Inkay simply smiled a bright smile. His grin almost gave out more light than her night light.

"Come on. There's someone here that wants to see you," Inkay whispered. Cereza raised a sleepy eyebrow before glancing over to the little jellyfish shaped clock. The device gave out a dim red glow as it read 2:37.

"But it's way pass my bedtime," she groaned, looking up at her dad. The small hybrid hadn't gotten a good rest in awhile, and though tonight was no different, she was eager to try.

"We'll make an exception for tonight. Come on," Inkay whispered still smiling. He offered his hand to Cereza and she placed hers in it. Inkay helped his daughter out of her bed and stood up straight, guiding her out of her room. Cereza's interest peaked as he lead her to the neighboring room. The sleep in her eyes practically evaporated as Inkay pushed the door open. Cereza's eyes were drawned onto her mother sitting in the corner, a dark purple blanket curled in her lap.

Cerata looked up at her husband and daughter. Though she beamed at the two, Cereza could see that look in her eyes that she only saw when she came in late. Inkay lead her closer as Cerata spoke.

"Hello darling. Guess who's here to see you," Cerata breathed out.

"Who?" Cereza asked. Cerata's smile grew wider and Cereza looked up at her father as if expecting him to show some signs of this being a prank. He just smiled at her and gestured her forward, releasing her hand. Cereza took slow, unsure steps towards her mother. Her eyes were locked onto the blanket the entire time. Once she reached her mother's side, Cerata adjusted the newborn so Cereza could see him better. Wide green eyes stared and locked with Cereza's brownish purple. The two stared silently at each other as if waiting for the other to make a move. "His name is Luca," Cerata whispered.

"Luca…" Cereza whispered to herself. As if satisfied with hearing his name, the cheeks on the baby rose as he smiled towards his sister the best a new born could. "And…he's a hybrid…like me?" Cereza didn't need to ask. It seemed quite obvious. His head wasn't as pointed as an Inkling but it wasn't as rounded as an Octoling. And though a newborn's tentacles are insanely short, his were noticeably longer. She didn't dare break eye contact with her brother as if he'd disappear if she did.

"Yep. Just like you," her mother answered. Cereza slowly extended her hand, Luca watched the limb approach him in awe. Cereza gently poked Luca's stomach, the smaller hybrid letting out a squeaky giggle, attempting to move his undeveloped tentacles to grasp the one poking him. Cereza's eyes sparkled at the sight, lowering her limb so her brother could take hold of it. He seemed content with resting his on hers seeing his were nowhere near long enough to actually wrap around it.

"You know this makes you a big sister now, Cereza," Inkay spoke. "That means you have to look after him." Cereza took a sharp inhale at the responsibility placed on her shoulders. Another hybrid. Another _younger_ hybrid. A hybrid that just became her responsibility to look after and protect. There was a sudden feeling of purpose surging through her young body as she looked at her younger brother.

She had to protect him. That was the main thought bouncing around in her head. But she didn't even know what that entailed. She could barely protect herself, she knew. But gosh darnit she was gonna try! She had to be strong for his sake. Lead by example. Let her strength become his. This was the determination flowing through her mind and flashing in her eyes.

"Can I hold him?" She asked. Cerata nodded and adjust herself, tapping her lap to tell Cereza to sit on it. Cereza obeyed, climbing up onto her mother and holding her arms out.

"Be careful with his head. He's very delicate." She said as she handed the blanket to her daughter. Cerata wrapped her arm around Cereza as she gently grasped the blanket. She held on to her brother in fascination as his eyes sparkled just the same. She felt a connection. A warmth filled her chest as a big smile spread across her face, Luca mimicking the action the best physically possible.

"Hi there. My name's Cereza." She cooed, Luca babbling softly at her voice. "I'm your big sister. You know what that means?" Her eyes sparkled with enchantment as well as tears as she slowly returned her limb to 'hold hands' with her little brother. "That means I'm just like you. And you're just like me." Content with his surroundings, Luca slowly began drifting off. Though he obviously was fighting the hold of sleep. Inkay crouched next to his family, looking between each with a smile on his face. Cerata beamed watching her children interact. A single tear rolled down Cereza's cheek as she continued.

"And no matter what, I'll always be there for you."

* * *

*Two days later*

Loud, rapid squeaks shook Inkay and Cerata awake. Inkay let out a groggy groan as he turned his back towards the baby monitor on the night stand. Still trying to hold on to that ounce of sleep, he wrapped his arms around his wife and buried his face in her back.

"Your son's awake," Cerata said taping the hand resting on her stomach.

"Before sunrise he's your son," Inkay retorted into her back.

"Hmm, I'll remember that when you're full of energy and I'm tired during the day," Cerata muttered back, urging Inkay to remove his arms from her. Inkay obliged with another groan as Cerata stepped out of bed. She grabbed her robe and wrapped it around her body to shield herself from the cool night air that her underwear didn't protect her from. She exited the room towards Luca's. She woke up a bit more when the crying suddenly stopped. Maternal worry kicked in as she took faster steps.

She opened the door to the darkened room and headed over to the baby tank. She leaned over the machine, thinking of how annoying the installation was. But it was required. Baby Inkling and Octarians dried up easily so they had to sleep in light ink to insure they didn't dehydrate over night. She peered into the purple ink filled container before flipping a switch. A dim light turned on at the bottom. Not enough to disturb anyone, but to show the outline of any sleeping newborn inside. If there was one. Cerata immediately began to panic, turning to run back and tell Inkay their child was missing. Before she could call out, she stepped in a small amount of ink. She looked towards the trail and found the culprit.

In a small, circular bed that was mostly for daytime napping and rest, Cereza was curled up with Luca snuggled up in her arms. Cerata got closer and smiled at the sight. She watched her children sleeping, breath slow and peaceful. She sat on the edge of the bed, Cereza holding onto Luca a bit tighter as if protecting him from something. Cerata couldn't have been happier.

Her sister and her weren't the _worse_ siblings, but there were definitely some bumps in the relationship. Especially towards the end. In honesty, she expected Cereza to loathe Luca. She heard younger children tended to hate newborns out of jealousy for their parents attention. But Cereza seemed to give Luca more attention than they did! Cerata could only hope their relationship continued this way. She reached forward and slowly stroked Cereza's head.

Inkay sat in bed still half asleep. He was waiting for his personal space heater to return before fully diving back under. Unfortunately she was taking a long time. He rolled over and looked at the clock. She had been gone for almost half an hour. He sat up, pushing the sheets off of himself and putting on some sleep pants. He made his way to Luca's room and looked around. A smile crossed his face at the sight of his sleeping wife delicately holding onto their daughter, who in turn was holding onto their son. He approached the sleeping trio with this warmth in his heart. He quietly returned to his room to fetch his phone to snap a quick picture. He normally wasn't a picture person but this scene was too pure to let sit in memory alone. After snapping a few shots, Inkay gently shook Cerata's shoulder.

"Love. Wake up. We gotta return to bed," he whispered. Cerata responded by curling further around her children. "Come on. You agreed you wouldn't do this. We gotta let Luca sleep in his tank." Cerata let out a groan of annoyance and didn't move from her spot. "He can sleep with us when he's a bit older. You don't want him drying out and getting sick, do you?"

"...No…"Cerata groaned, slowly sitting up, releasing her children from her arms.

"Good. Now go back to bed." Without opening her eyes, Cerata extended her arms towards Inkay.

"Carry me," she whined. Inkay raised a brow with a smile.

"Last I checked I had two kids, not three." Cerata responded by stretching her fingers at him. Inkay rolled his eyes and picked his wife up bridal style. She wrapped her arms around his neck and rested her head against his chest as he carried her back to their room. He returned to Luca's room and shook Cereza to wake her. Like her mother before her, Cereza responded by curling further around the younger family member. "Cereza, baby, wake up." The hybrid slowly opened her eyes to look up at her dad. "We have to put Luca back in his tank." Cereza pouted as she sat up, still being careful in how she held her brother.

"But he was crying. What if he starts crying again?" Cereza muttered rubbing an eye with a limb. Inkay rolled his eyes and glanced at the tank. It could fit them both, right?

"Fine. You want to sleep with him tonight?" Cereza nodded, eyes barely able to remain open. "Ok. But only tonight, okay?" Cereza nodded again and Inkay gently picked the two up. He carried them over to the tank and gave both a kiss on the head. "Good night, baby," Inkay whispered.

"Good night, daddy," Cereza responded as Inkay lowered the two into the tank and returned to his room.

* * *

*1 week later*

Cereza dragged herself out of her room and rubbed her eyes as she made her way towards the bathroom. She began setting up her toothbrush by instinct, going through the motion of her morning preparation. She washed her face, brushed her beak and made her way down stairs.

The smell of eggs and bacon filled her nose halfway to the kitchen. She perked up and walked down a little faster, excited about another delicious breakfast. Cerata was flipping pancakes and sizzling bacon when she walked in, humming a tune to herself. She looked over as her daughter entered and smiled.

"Good morning, baby. How'd you sleep?"

"I slept well, mommy," she said walking over to the table. She walked over to the kiddie seat holding her brother and kissed him on the cheek. "Good morning Luca." The baby giggled and cooed as Cereza smiled and took a seat next to him. "So you're cooking breakfast again?" Cereza asked her mother.

"Yeah. Thought I could continue shaking off the rust since I'm still on maternity leave." Cereza laid her head on the table, gently poking at her brother as the sounds of cooking bounced around the room.

"I'm glad you're on maternity leave…" Cereza whispered, as if it was forbidden to bother her mother. Cerata noticed the tone and her movements stopped. This sudden guilt filled her chest as she knew exactly what her daughter meant. She began cooking again, finishing off the eggs and pancake as quickly as she could. She placed them with the other finished products and walked over to Cereza. She rubbed her hands on her apron and crouched down to her daughter. Cereza sat up when her mother approached her.

"I'm sorry work is so busy, baby," Cerata said, resting a hand on her daughter's shoulder and stroking her head. "But I promise we're gonna spend as much time together as we can while I'm on leave."

"...You promise?" Cerata smiled brightly at the young hybrid.

"I promise." Cereza smiled even brighter and wrapped her arms around her mother's neck. The two held each other for a long time. When they finally pulled away, Cereza practically began bouncing.

"Can I help you cook?" She asked. Cerata raised an eyebrow and smiled.

"I don't think you're up for it."

"Please mommy! I can help! I promise I can!" Cerata laughed as Cereza's eyes sparkled in hope.

"Alright. You can help me cook. But not right now! You need to eat and finish getting ready for school." Cereza's shoulders slumped and she pouted. Cerata poked her nose and stuck her tongue out. "Don't give me any of that. I'll let you help with all the other meals I cook. Okay?" Cereza brightened a bit and nodded.

"Ok!" Cerata kissed Cereza's forehead and she beamed again, turning towards her brother with a bright smile. Riding off his sister's bright aura, he smiled too. Cerata walked back towards the stove as Cereza rested her head on Luca's table. She lightly ran her limb over his head as she whispered, "I'm really glad you're here."

* * *

*7 years later*

He could hear it again. Coming through the wall right next to his bed. He could always hear it, and it always confused him whenever he did.

It sounded like crying. But she couldn't be crying. She never cried. He was positive that there had never been a day where he saw her do anything more than a pout. But he could hear it. Those quick, sudden breaths when you try to keep quiet and your body shakes as a result. The sound didn't come every night, but those nights it did, he racked his brain trying to picture his sister, _crying_.

It was always after bedtime. Dinner would be finished, beaks brushed, and they would be all ready for bed. He'd snuggle up in his sheets, rest his head on his pillow, then he'd wait. Wait to see if another night would go by with the sound seeping through his wall.

There was another part of him that believed that if he were to go and confront his sister about the sound, she'd laugh at him. She didn't cry, their aunt Kiara never cried, and their dad most definitely never cried. Just thinking about any of them crying simply denied everything he knew about his family. But that sound had him so confused.

It slowly faded into silence. It was done for the night. But that didn't mean Luca was done thinking about it. He usually stayed up a bit later than the noise just to see if it started back up. But every time it stopped, it didn't return. Tired of not knowing, Luca decided to start looking for answers beginning tomorrow. But for now, he let out a big yawn, and he struggled to go to sleep.

The next morning, Luca woke up around the usual time and went through the motions of taking care of his personal hygiene and heading downstairs for breakfast. He wasn't surprised by the sight of Cereza standing at the stove, humming to herself and flipping pancakes. He walked into the kitchen and Cereza looked over her shoulder, throwing a big smile towards him.

"Good morning, Luke! Did you sleep okay?" She asked with the same bright and cheery smile he was used to seeing on her face.

"I slept fine, thank you. How about you?" He said as he made his way to his seat. He eyed her to try and find a sign that she had been crying last night, but as usual he found none.

"I slept like a baby. I feel well rested and ready to take on the world!" She said smiling at Luca and flexing an arm. Luca didn't smile back. He just watched her. She fixed his plate and set it in front of him. She tried to make small talk with him, but his responses weren't the best to keep the conversation going. He gave the simplest response and continued to pick at his food. "Luca? Is something wrong?" Cereza asked.

"Nah. I'm fine. Just a little tired," he said. Cereza smiled and patted his head.

"Then that means you need to get more sleep. How do you expect to take your form if you're tired?" she joked. Luca simply shrugged and began picking at his food again. "Mom and dad said they'll be home late again. You wanna go out for dinner somewhere or something?"

"No thanks. I'll just eat some leftovers so you don't have to spend any money," he said.

"Are you sure? We can go to The Cookout if you want."

"I'm good, thank you."

"Well, if you insist."

"What about you?" Luca asked. Cereza looked at him confused. "Is everything okay with you?" Cereza just smiled brighter.

"Why do you ask? I'm perfectly fine Luke." Luca didn't say anything. He just returned his sights to his food. Cereza tilted her head as she placed more eggs in her mouth. "Are you almost done? Your bus'll be here soon," she said through a mouth full of food with her hand covering it. Luca responded by shoving the rest in his mouth then looking up to her with wide cheeks and a nod. Cereza swallowed her food and buckled over laughing. "Careful! Don't hurt yourself biting off more than you can chew!" She said. Luca responded by making exaggerated chewing sounds and swallowing.

"Ow." Luca said after his food squeezed its way down his throat. Cereza laughed harder and Luca slowly joined in.

The bus arrived soon after that. Luca grabbed his backpack and headed towards the door. As he reached the doorknob, he was suddenly engulfed in arms. Cereza pulled him to her chest and gave a big kiss to his forehead.

"Mmmmmmmwah! Love you little bro! Have a good day at school!" Luca colored and adjusted his backpack.

"Yeah sis. Love you too. But you don't have to kiss me so much," he said opening the door.

"Then how do I show my love then?" She joked.

"I don't know. Just, buy me candy or something," he called running towards the bus. Cereza chuckled as she closed the door and headed to her room to get ready for her bus.

Luca reached the door of the bus and took a deep breath. Gripping the straps of his backpack a bit tighter, he stepped up the steps of the bus and into the aisle. He scanned the sea of heads looking for the green color of his friend.

"Hey Luca! Over here!" Eden called, waving his undeveloped arm for Luca to see. The hybrid smiled, walking forward towards his saved seat, excited to chat with his friend. Then something caught onto his ankle. He stumbled and landed face first on the ground. His groans of pain were drowned out by the laughter echoing around the bus. He rubbed where his future nose would be and looked over his shoulder. A dark purple leg moving itself out of the aisle as an Inkling boy grinned down at Luca. Luca started to get back up as another hand grabbed him by his arm and helped him.

"You okay, Luke?" Eden asked, worry in his eyes.

"Yeah Luke. You okay? You want your boyfriend to kiss it better?" The purple Inkling mocked, causing the bus to laugh harder. Eden glared over Luca's shoulder as the hybrid simply adjusted his backpack and made sure nothing fell out.

"I know something you can kiss, Geo," Eden said, trying to stand taller than he was without the movement of the bus throwing him off. The bus turned into a series of 'ooooo's' as Geo's smile widened.

"Oh yeah? Then why don't ya tell me shrimp? I'm dying to hear."

"Hey! You kids behave yourself back there!" The bus driver yelled. The entire bus looked forward to see the bagged eyes of the bus driver glaring into the security mirror. Everyone sat down and stared forward as Luca and Eden took their seats. Idle chatter slowly picked back up as Eden glared into the back of Geo's head.

"Man, I can't stand that guy. He's search a jerk." He turned towards Luca who had his head down and lost the look. "You okay, buddy?" Eden asked.

"Nothing that hasn't happened before," Luca whispered.

"Which is why we should do something! Tell a teacher, kick his butt, or anything!"

"That won't help. If we fight him he'll just get his friends and we'll end up fighting again. I'm sure he could just make an army of people who like to pick on me. And the teachers are useless. They always are. They'll just talk to him or his parents then he'll just keep doing what he's doing when their back is turned." Eden's shoulder's drooped as he looked at the somewhat broken look on his friend's face.

"Then…what do you think we should do?"

"Nothing. It's not like they're really hurting me. And my dad always told me that life is always gonna throw blows, and it's not about throwing any back. It's about standing back up, looking life in the eye and calling it a wimp."

"As cool as that is and all, it doesn't really solve your bullying problem."

"Doesn't matter. There are dozens of him. That's not what's bothering me right now." Eden tilted his head.

"Oh yeah? Then what's bothering you?"

"Eden, do you think my sister….cries?"

"Brighter than the sun Cereza? I mean, everybody supposedly cries, but I can't imagine her doing it. You've cried before."

"That was one time!" Luca hissed as Eden smiled.

"One time that I _caught_ you. The jungle gym isn't really the best hiding spot." Luca colored and got ready to speak but Eden cut him off. "Besides, that was a good thing. We wouldn't be as close if I didn't see how much you needed a friend." Luca held his head down and sighed.

"I guess…but we're getting off subject. Cereza crying. Do you believe?"

"The only person that I can see crying after Cereza is one of those war people from those old movies. With the weird eye, and the big muscles and weird beards."

"Yeah. Me too."

"Why do you ask? You think she's sad about something?"

"I don't know. I think I hear her crying some nights but I can't be sure."

"Maybe she's getting bullied too."

"What? There's no way. Cereza's all…bright and happy. She has to have a ton of friends. I'm all…quiet and weird."

"I'm sure your sister has ton of friends, and you are quiet, but you're not weird. Plus, you never been to her school. You don't know what her school life was like. If TV has taught me anything, it's that 'School, is not Cool. It's cruel."

"Nice rhyme."

"Thank you."

"But still, bullying Cereza? Why?"

"The same reason people bully you: you're different. A Hybid."

"Brid."

"Yeah that. A lot of people are always mean to people different than the group, even if they're the same where it counts." Luca sighed as the bus pulled into the school parking lot.

"But Cereza's so sweet. Why would anyone bully her?" Luca and Eden stood and waited for the aisle to clear.

"Like I said, she's a hybrid. And considering you two are the only one of those, that's pretty different. But maybe she's not even being bullied. Maybe we're just overthinking. Does she have a diary?" Luca looked back at his friend as they stepped into the aisle and made their way out of the bus.

"Are you suggesting that I read it? I don't even know if she has one. And if she does, reading it would be bad. She may actually get mad at me." The two filed out of the bus and towards the building.

"It's the best way to find out if anything's wrong. It's for the greater good."

"And if nothing's wrong?"

"Then you don't have to worry any more. Just don't get caught." Luca let out another sigh and nodded. "I wish you luck buddy. See you at recess." Eden said with a wave as the two went their separate ways.

Luca's classes passed by in a blur as he juggled with the idea of invading his sister's privacy. He was curious to find out what was going on with her, but going that far had him worried he may actually make her mad. He spent his classes up to lunch juggling the pros and cons of doing the deed.

During lunch, Luca kept to the wall. The cafeteria rumbled with the hustle and bustle of third and fourth stages as they gathered and ate their food. Luca grabbed his tray and glanced around the room. He hated that he and Eden didn't share a lunch period, but he could survive until recess. He spotted an empty table in the far back and made his way towards it. He had almost made it to his table when something caught across his ankle.

Luca fell to the ground, abandoning his tray to keep himself from landing face first. The cafeteria erupted into laughter as Luca didn't even bother to look and see who tripped him. He eyed his fallen items and moved to pick them up. He reached towards his juice box as a foot came down on it. He followed the leg upward to see the owner glaring down at him with crossed arms and narrowed eyes. Luca lowered his head and hurried to gather the rest of what remained of his lunch.

"Don't ignore me!" The Octoling growled. One of the Octarians standing behind her moved forward and pulled Luca's head up, forcing him to look at the girl. "My daddy is thinking of making me switch schools. You know why Luca?" Luca grunted from having his tentacles yanked before returning his attention to the Octoling girl, her tentacle beginning to reach her eye.

"Why Elisa?"

"He doesn't like me sharing a school with a freak of nature like you." The Octarian let go of Luca and his head fell. His arms tensed as he could feel the eyes of everyone staring at the exchange. "Octolings and Inklings can be friends and all, but things like you shouldn't exist. It's against the laws of nature." Murmurs were getting louder as Luca felt his body shake. "My daddy says that anyone who thinks of making mismatched creatures like you should be locked up."

"WHAT DO YOU WANT FROM ME?!" Luca shouted. The cafeteria went quiet save for the sound of footsteps quickly approaching. Elisa dropped down to Luca and hissed,

"I want you to disappear."

"What is going on here?!" An older Inkling woman yelled as she entered the cafeteria, attracted by Luca's cry. All the students faced their trays and pretended to be busy eating. Elisa put on her most innocent smile as she sat down. Luca stayed at his position on the floor. Tears fell from is eyes and onto the ground as he simply wondered 'why'? Why was his existence so horrible? Why did everyone seem to hate him just for being around? He wasn't _that_ different. Was he? The footsteps grew closer as Luca tried to make himself as small as possible.

"Luca? What happened?" The teacher asked. Luca didn't look to her. Instead he shot up and ran towards the door. She was knocked off balance and shouted his name as he ran out of the cafeteria. He ran through the halls, sneakers slapping against the floors until he was clean out of the building. He kept running and running until his legs ached, only vaguely aware of where he was going.

When he finally stopped, he rubbed the remaining tears off on his sleeve and looked around. He was in an area he knew, but not well enough to get home. He was really regretting not thinking his escape through. Kids were mean, but if he ran across an adult who thought the same way, he could be in serious trouble. Body shaking with the occasional sniffle, Luca began walking. He was too scared to bother asking anyone for directions, not like he actually wanted to ask anyone.

After awhile of walking, Luca came across a phone booth. He patted his pants pockets to check to see if he had any change on him. He breathed a sigh of relief when he realized today was one of the few days that he did. He shuffled up to the booth and struggled to remove the phone from its perch. He dialed the number to his aunt. He didn't want to disturb either of his parents or his sister was at work. His aunt was the only one he could think of.

He placed the coins into the machine and pressed the numbers. His body still shook occasionally with a sniffle, but he waited patiently for the other person to answer. He hoped that she'd answer and he wouldn't waste a dollar worth of quarters. The phone rang once. Twice. Three times. Four.

"Hello?"

"A-aunt Kiara?" Luca sniffled.

"Luke? What's going on? Shouldn't you be in school?"

"C-can you come p-pick me up?"

"What? Yeah, where are you?" Luca looked around the street for a clue on the question.

"I'm on King's Street .

"King's Street? What are you doing there?" Kiara asked, shock and worry evident in her voice.

"I just need a ride home…"

"I'll be right there. Don't go anywhere or talk to anyone, ok?"

"Yes ma'am." Luca hung up the phone and stepped out side the phone booth. He sat down on the side walk clutching his legs and willing away tears. He sat motionless for the fifteen minutes it took his aunt to get there. She stopped directly in front of him and jumped out of the car.

"Luke! What are you doing out here? Why aren't you at school?" Luca stood up and ran to his aunt, wrapping his arms around her legs and sniffling. Kiara was silent as she looked down on her nephew. She ran her hand over his head. "Come on kid. You know I'm not good with this emotion crap." Luca just sniffed more as his aunt let out a big sigh. "Come on in the car and tell me what's wrong. I'll take you home." Luca nodded and let go of his aunt. He walked to the passenger seat as Kiara returned to the driver's seat.

It was quiet at first. Luca sniffling occasionally and willing away any stray tears. Kiara waited patiently for him to start talking, but when he stay quiet for too long she started to some convincing, Luca told Kiara what happened and she grew quiet.

"Why does everyone treat me like I'm a bad person, Aunt Kiara? I didn't do anything to them…" Kiara took a deep breath and ran her hand over her tentacles.

"It's sad to say Luke, but it's because you're different. People are wusses and they don't like things that are different than them."

"But it's not like I _want_ to be different. I was just born. And everyone hates me for it…"

"Oh Luke…," Kiara groaned, reaching over to rub his head again. "I wish I could say it would all be fixed tomorrow, but it took a long time for Inklings and Octolings to even be friends again. I'm not sure how long it'll take for your peers to accept you coming from such a racist previous generation." Luca's shoulders slumped at the news and Kiara noticed. "If you have the urge to beat them up, I'll come to your parents conference so you won't get in trouble with your parents." Kiara gave Luca a smirk and a sideways glance.

"Dad doesn't think fighting is a good idea…"

"Which is why he doesn't need to know," Kiara said nudging Luca's shoulder. Luca chuckled at his aunt but didn't say much else. "Tell you what, I won't tell your parents you ran from school if you promise it won't happen again, and you promise to not let it become a habit."

"Okay…"

"And talk to one of your parents about it. I'm sure they'll have better advice than me." Kiara said as she discreetly pulled her seatbelt around her just as a policeman drove by.

"But they're barely at home…I don't want them to worry…"

"Well you can't just keep it bottled up forever Luke. You need to vent."

"I vent with Eden."

"Yeah, but he's just a kid like you. You need to vent to an adult."

"Like you?"

"A responsible adult." The two had a small laugh as the car descended into silence. It stayed that way for the rest of the ride. When Kiara pulled into her brother's house, she glanced over at Luca. He didn't move immediately and continued to stare at the floor. She reached over and ruffled his tentacles again.

"Don't think that I'm just pushing your problems to Inkay or Cerata. I'm here anytime you want to talk to me. Or need me to pick you up." Luca looked up and smiled at his aunt as she nudged his shoulder and gave him a smirk.

"Yes ma'am." Luca said as he pushed the door open and swung his legs out. "Love you, Aunt Kiara."

"Love you too, kid. Try to stay out of trouble, but kick ass if you find yourself in it."

"Haha. Yes ma'am." Luca shut the door and headed towards his house, pulling the spare key out of the flower pot and letting himself in. He reached up to grab his backpack to realize he didn't have it. He must have left it at school…well there goes his homework. He'd have to hope Eden would notice his absence and collect it for him. Speaking of Eden, his idea resurfaced in Luca's head. He walked up the stairs to his sister's room. She usually got home from work a bit after he got home from school. He had a few hours before then. With a deep breath he pushed the door open and stepped in.

Cereza's room was a pinkish purple, with Squid Sisters posters and plushies everywhere, and enough pillows on the bed to smother a whale. If Cereza did have a diary, where would she put it? Luca took a glance towards the bookshelf but decided that it was too bad of a hiding place.. Maybe one of her drawers had it. He walked over to her dresser and pulled one of the drawers open. Nothing but clothes greeted him and he pushed it closed. He checked every drawer multiple times and groaned when he found the diary in the far back of the first one he tried.

Luca sat on the bed and looked at the bright purple book he held. All of Cereza's secrets sat in front of him and his curiosity peaked. The answers he was looking for were right there. But if he got caught with it, he may lose Cereza's trust forever. His eye narrowed in determination as he gripped the side of the book harder. He quickly flipped the book open to the front page. .

 _Dear Diary,_

 _I hope I'm doing this right. Mommy said that writing about my day can help me deal with problems. I can 'vent out' to the paper if I'm mad and look back on good times when I'm sad. I don't completely understand, but mommy said it could be fun so I guess I'll try it. But mommy said I should keep my diary a secret, so I'm writing it in my room. Luca's here too, but he's sleeping. Plus I don't think he can read anyway, so he's okay. I'm glad he's around. It's a lot less lonely when mom and dad are gone._

Luca blinked at the page before he turned to the next one.

 _Dear Diary,_

 _Mom and dad are working late again tonight. Aunt Kiara is gonna be here later to make us something to eat, but she doesn't usually stay all night. I guess it'll just be me and Luca at home again._

He scanned the next couple of pages before finding one that caught his interest.

 _Dear Diary,_

 _The kids at school won't leave me alone. I try not to mess with them and even help out, but they always just call me a freak or weirdo. One kid kept saying her dad said I was born out of 'infidelity'. I'm too scared to look up what that means._

Luca's shoulders dropped. They did bully his sister. For no other reason than being born different. He began reading and flipping pages faster.

 _Dear Diary,_

 _The kids were really mean today. They called me names and played catch with my backpack until everything fell out of it. And when I was late to class from picking everything up, the teacher gave me detention. I don't think he likes me either…But I can't let it get to me. If I let it get to me, then when Luca gets bigger, he might let it get to him. Daddy always said to lead by example._

Luca felt his heart drop. She was bottling her pain to keep him safe. She always seemed so happy but she was really going through all the crap he was. But this was years ago right? Maybe things got better. Luca flipped to some recent pages and began reading.

 _Dear Diary,_

 _I tried to play some Turf Wars today. The enemy team kept jumping me and my teammates would always turn a blind eye. Then if we lost they'd blame me for not covering enough. But it wasn't all bad. There was this one Octoling girl that stuck by me and helped me fight off the enemy team. We didn't talk any but I really appreciated her._

That wasn't too bad of an entry. This must have been a bit after she took her form. Luca flipped the page and continued winning.

 _Dear Diary,_

 _Aunt Callie and Aunt Marie invited me to sing on their show! They were doing a youth talent search and they want me to be a contestant! I'm so excited! I'll get to sing on stage and have the video posted on their website whether I win or not! That way other talent scouts can see me! I could be a big time singer like Callie and Marie!_

That was weird. Luca knew that Cereza liked to sing but he didn't know she sang with Callie and Marie before. He had been on their website a few times but never saw a video of his sister. He turned to the next page and his eyes widened.

 _I hate them I hate them I hate them I hate them I hate them I hate them I hate them I hate them I hate them I hate them I hate them I hate them I hate them I hate them I hate them I hate them I hate them I hate them I hate them I hate them I hate them I hate them I hate them I hate them I hate them I hate them_

The page was littered with what Luca was sure were dried tear stains. The writing was scratchy and rigid like Cereza tried to engrave the words into the paper instead of just write them down. An entire page of just that phrase over and over. What could've happened for such a drastic change. Luca flipped to the next page to find it blank. All following pages were completely barren, leaving Luca to just wondering what exactly happened. He closed the diary and put it back where he found it. So Cereza was bullied and the chances of her crying were actually pretty high. Well now he had the truth he was looking for but what was the next step? _"Hey sis, I read your diary and just know I go through the same thing."_ That was a terrible idea.

Luca walked out of his sister's room and returned to his. There was still a few hours until she got home. Surely he would think of some way to approach her by the time she got home.

* * *

It was close to bedtime and Luca had barely even said anything to his sister. She had tried to start conversations, but he shot them all down with basic responses. He noticed how Cereza seemed to slump the more he avoided conversation but he just didn't know how to start the one he wanted.

Cereza had put him to bed and was in her room for the night. So Luca continued to lay there and think. What could he do? What could he say? He was always bad at starting conversations and even worse in talking about serious things. He always preferred to sweep them under the rug.

About an hour after laying down, he heard it again. She was crying. And he needed to do something now. He sat up from his bed and looked around for an idea on what to do. Something to let her know she wasn't alone. He could just tell her but he always got tongue-tied. But…he couldn't just let her cry alone again…

Luca threw his legs over his bed and slowly made his way out of his room. He took slow steps to his sister's room. He took a deep breath, already thinking of what he needed to say. Filled with as much determination as he could muster, he pushed the door open.

Cereza shot up at the sound of her door opening. Her eyes were bloodshot with tears still streaming down her cheeks.

"Luke…I didn't here you get up…" Any determination Luca had shattered alongside his heart. Just the broken sound in his sister's voice was so foreign he wasn't even sure if he was looking at the same person. "Do you need something? What's wrong?" The fact she simply wiped her eyes of her tears and asked what was wrong with him only made Luke worse. His tongue got tied again as he opened his mouth but nothing came out. Cereza scooted to the edge of her bed to get closer and Luca began looking around her room.

He walked over to her desk and picked up her laptop, with a bit of difficulty. He walked over and placed it down on her bed, crawling onto it himself.

"Luca, you know it's bedtime. Whatever you're looking for it'll have to wait until tomorrow," Cereza said. Luca responded by opening her laptop and logging on. She sighed and leaned over to try and see what he was doing. "What are you doing anyway?" Luca remained silent. He typed up the video he was looking for, playing it and turning the screen towards Cereza. Cereza watched the screen flash with lyrics and the music sink into her ears.

Luca listened too. Thinking of all the teasing and bullying he went through, then thinking of Cereza having to go through all of it alone. The two sat silently listening to the music exiting the computer.

 _I look at you, and I see myself. And I know you better, than anyone else._

Cereza looked up at Luca, a bit of a saddened expression on her face as Luca left his head down.

 _And I have the same faucet, in my eyes, so your tears, are miine._

Luca looked up with tears in his eyes and a weak smile. The sight made tears well back up in Cereza's eyes. She moved her computer to the side and scooted to her brother. She wrapped her arms around him and he did the same to her. The two held each other and cried. It started off silent, with a few sniffles here and there, but grew into loud sobs as the two let out all they had been bottling up. All the years of trying to be strong for their families, of trying to not show weakness let out.

Sure they had their parents and family members, but they could never fully grasp their situation. The only one that could truly understand was being held tightly in their arms. Two peas of the same pod. Their mission was the same, but it had a stronger connection than before. To look out for each other in a world they were both different from.

They held each other and just cried it all out of their systems through the night. Luca didn't return to his room when they were done. They both decided it would be more pleasant to share a bed for the night. So they did. The next day Cereza took a day off from work and Luca skipped school. They chose to stay home and just enjoy each other's presence. The only two hybrids born in this world.

* * *

*present day*

Cereza and Luca were wrapped tightly in a blanket, the dim glow of a computer screen illuminating their faces. They had once again cried out their eyes while clinging to each other, Luca over the loss of his closest friend, and Cereza from the pain her little brother felt. They had calmed down and were now watching a comedy on Cereza's laptop. The jokes only getting chuckles out of their downed spirits. But Luca was honestly feeling better.

And from that he remembered his upcoming date with Senia. For awhile he chose to mull it over with himself, but then decided that if anyone could give him some advice on the subject of females, it would be his sister.

"Cereza…."

"Yes, Luke?"

"If I were to…take a girl on a date…where would be a good place to go?" Cereza grew a wide smile and gave Luca a tight squeeze.

"Ooooooooh? Are you gonna ask out that cute girl you brought home Luke? That's adorable!" She teased nuzzling into his neck. Luca colored and squirmed in his sister's grip.

"Cereza! Stop! That tickles!" He let out a groan and pouted, looking away from his older sibling. "So what if I am? Where do you think I should take her?" He muttered.

"I can't really tell you that, Luke." Luca turned around a bit shocked and disappointed.

"Why not? Is it some kind of girl secret or something?" Cereza laughed and ruffled Luca's tentacles.

"No, that's ridiculous. I can't tell you because I don't know _her_."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, everyone is different, so they like different things. What may be one girl's dream date could be another one's torture chamber. You should plan a date based on what you know about her, and what she likes." Luca lowered his head in thought. "Just try to keep it simple and fun, okay?"

"Okay. Thanks, sis."

"Any time little bro. Also, we should go Turf Waring again some time!" Luca laughed as Cereza threw her fist in the air with excitement.

"Sure, sis."

* * *

 **Hi all! How ya doin'? You enjoy the chapter? It was mostly all flashback with a little bit of current events. I hope it kind of clears up why Cereza is so affectionate to her brother. After being alone for so long, Cereza was really happy to have another hybrid around. Not only that, Luca being born also forced Cerata to stay home more. Remember that Inkay is an agent and Cereza works under Apallo, so they both rarely stay home. Thus increasing how lonely Cerata was. I know I'm telling that now, but I hope it came across during the story.**

 **So this chapter title is from a phrase Cereza said awhile back. If you'll remember from way back in chapter 5, Matzuo asked Cereza why she gave up singing and she responded with 'horrible kids' under her breath, only to change it when he asked her to repeat herself. We know that they did something to cause Cereza caring personality to scratch a very hateful phrase in her diary. We don't know what they did yet, but we know it was bad. And I also hinted that the teasing was also going on before Luca was born, hence why she was so jumping and not well rested when Inkay woke her up at the beginning of the story. Poor Cereza.**

 **Next chapter will focus on Inkay leaving for what used to be a city, Cereza meeting up with Matzuo again, and Luca and Senia's date. Hope you're looking forward to it. Until next time,**

 **Astalabyebye,**

 **Bang**


	10. Happy to See You

"Alright, love. I'm gonna be headed out soon," Inkay said wrapping an arm around Cerata's waist. He pecked her lips as she pouted and let out a groan.

"I really wish that you'd take the gauntlets with you…" She whined, causing Inkay to chuckle and kiss her again.

"I told you, this is all just a ploy mission. To calm the nerves of the public a little. I'm sure the guy responsible is back at his base by now."

"I'm still worried." Inkay only smiled at her.

"I'll be fine. I promise. Now do you know if the kids are up yet?"

"If they are, they haven't left Luca's room yet," Cerata said as Inkay took a step back.

"Well I guess I'll go wake 'em up and tell them I'll be gone for awhile," Inkay said as he began walking to his children's room. He knocked on the door and waited for a response. When he got none, he figured they were both still asleep. He gently pushed the door open to see his children asleep. Luca was resting his head on Cereza's shoulder as she had an arm around him and her head resting on his. Her mouth hung open as they both took slow, calm breaths.

Inkay smiled and approached the bed, gently shaking them both up. The hybrids looked up with the same drowsy eyes and Inkay chuckled.

"I'm gonna be out of town for work awhile again. Wanted to see you before I left."

"You won't be gone for too long, will you?" Luca asked as he sat up, rubbing his eyes to look up at his father.

"Nah. I'll be back in a couple of days," Inkay said rubbing Luca's head and kissing his forehead. Luca smiled and laid back down. Inkay leaned in to do the same to Cereza, only to have her spring up and wrap her arms around his neck in a tight embrace.

"I love you, daddy. Be safe, okay?" Inkay smiled and hugged his daughter just as tightly.

"Of course. I can't let anything happen to me when I still have to look after you two." Inkay's smile turned into a smirk. "Especially with you bringing this new boyfriend around the place." Cereza colored and moved back from her father.

"Daaaaaaaad," she groaned with a pout. Inkay laughed again and kissed his daughter's forehead.

"I'll be back before you know it, love." He said as he turned and exited the room. Cereza kept her pout towards the door for a moment longer before it broke into a smile. She raised her hand to her mouth to cover a large yawn and laid back down. She closed her eyes and shifted a bit towards her brother. All was still for awhile before she lightly pressed her foot against his back.

Luca responded with a loud groan expressing his discomfort and returned to silence. After a few more seconds Cereza lightly kicked him again.

"Cereza, cut it out," Luca groaned trying to avoid the foot and get back into a comfortable position. Still curled in a comfortable little ball, Cereza alternated which foot she kicked Luca with. "Stop it!"

"No. Get out of bed," She said continuing her onslaught.

"How are you gonna kick me out of my own bed?" Luca questioned with obvious annoyance in his voice.

"Because I don't have a date I need to get ready for." Luca shot up with a panicked expression.

"Oh crap! What time is it?!" He said lunging for his phone lying on his nightstand. The device read 7:52 and had only had twenty-one percent of battery left. "Crap crap crap!" Luca chanted throwing his legs over the bed. He quickly plugged in his phone and ran to his closet. Cereza didn't open her eyes but chuckled at her brother as he scrambled around the room. "Sis! You gotta get up too!"

"What? Why?"

"You gotta help me pick something to wear!" Luca said as he began digging through his closet. Cereza stretched and rested her head on her arms, opening her eyes just enough to see her brother and smiled.

"Not to be rude or anything, but isn't she blind? I doubt she cares what you put on," Cereza baited. Luca froze for a moment and pushed himself deeper into his closet.

"Well…yeah but…others are gonna see me with her…and she has quite the fanbase for her singing. I don't wanna make her look bad by being seen with me…"

"Oh, you're too cute!" Cereza said pulling Luca back into a tight hug.

"Hey! You're supposed to be helping! Not hugging!"

"I can do both!"

"Sis!"

* * *

Sebastian laced up his shoes and grabbed his jacket. He put it on and took a deep breath before exiting his room. He began walking towards the stairs already expecting a certain door to open.

"Well you're up early, brother," came the voice of his sister. Sebastian stopped and turned towards her.

"I could say the same to you, sis."

"Hm. Yes you could, but I'm wearing a T-shirt and underwear while you're walking around with sneakers on." Sebastian silently stared at Senia. "So where are you going?" Sebastian took a deep breath before speaking.

"Well, I was gonna surprise you when I got paid, but since you're bent on ruining it, I actually found a job. That doesn't involve singing, I might add." Senia went wide eyed, earnest surprise on her face.

"Oh. Well…I honestly didn't think you were looking," she said. "I'm sorry for being so suspicious."

"It's cool. I may have gotten suspicious too. When I eventually noticed." The two chuckled at the joke. "It'll probably keep me busy all day though, so you think you can not burn down the house while I'm gone?" Sebastian smirked at Senia and she smirked as well.

"You insult me brother." Sebastian chuckled again and started heading towards the stairs. "Hey," Sebastian paused and turned back towards his sister. "The job…it's not working for father….is it?" Sebastian's smile dropped.

"No. Of course not." Senia let out a sigh, bringing her hand to her chest then smiling again.

"Good. Have a good day then." Sebastian let out a 'hmph' and continued down the stairs and out the door. Senia grew a wide smile as she turned to prepare for her date.

* * *

"Agent 3. Agent 4. I see you're both doing well," Apalo said, arms crossed behind his back as he looked at the Inklings entering the room.

"As well as we can be giving the circumstances," Agent 3 replied. Agent 4 let out a distressed sigh as an agreement.

"So where are Agents 1 and 2?" 4 asked.

"They're already on the airplane waiting for you. Along with your weapons and some extra armor. There are investigators at the sight, so living supplies are waiting there." Agents 3 nodded and the group began walking. "Remember: Two day investigation and return right home. Be sure to mention anything suspicious you find while there."

"Sure thing, boss," Agent 3 said. "Hopefully we'll find something helpful on finding out who did this." Agent 3 remained silent as they continued forward. Soon after they reached the door to the hangar and paused.

"Good luck agent. Be sure to make it back safely." Agents 3 and 4 saluted Apalo, who did the same. The agents stepped out and Apalo returned the way he came. The two could already hear the hum from its engines before they were even at max power.

"You sure you can handle the city on your own?" Agent 3 asked stopping short of the plane. Agent 4 smiled and gently punched Agent 3's shoulder.

"You underestimate me, my friend. I can handle anything short of a war. Though I like to think I did pretty well in the last one," 4 smirked, causing 3 to smile.

"Okay, I'll give you that. I'll be back as soon as possible."

"Be careful my friend." 4 said giving his old friend a fist bump.

"And to you." Agent 4 returned the way he came as Agent 3 stepped into the jet.

"Good morning, 1 and 2. How are you both?" Agent 3 asked as he entered the seating area. Agents 1 and 2 turned towards him as he walked in. Agent 1 gave a smile while Agent 2 nodded.

"Too early for this shit." Agent 2 griped. Agent 3 sat down across from the two as the intercom clicked on.

"Good morning agents, this is your pilot speaking. We will be taking off shortly. Please remain seated until we are in a stable altitude. I'll tell you when that height has been reached and you'll be free to move around the cabin. We shall arrive at our destination in a few hours." The intercom clicked off and the engines began powering up.

"So what's the city going to do for news time?" Agent 3 asked.

"They have this new duo doing them while we're out on 'business'. They're called 'Off the Chain', or something like that."

"'Off the Hook', Agent 1."

"Yeah! Off the Hook. They're pretty good, I'll admit."

"Our catchphrase is better though." Agent 3 chuckled as Agent 2 stared out the window. They were beginning to rise into the sky. Agent 1 began to look into her lap and keep her head down. Without even looking, Agent 2 began patting her cousin's shoulder. "You're going to be fine, 1," she said with a bit of a smirk. Agent 3 was confused for a moment before realization hit.

"Oh yeah. You're afraid of heights, aren't you?"

"Please don't mention we're up high!" Agent 1 said squeezing her eyes shut.

"Oh don't worry. We're aren't that high yet. We're just jumping off the building," Agent 2 teased with a wicked smile.

"Marieeeeeee!" Agent 1 wined hitting her cousin's shoulder with her fists. Agent 3 leaned back and smiled. At least the ride there will be entertaining.

* * *

Luca walked up the walkway to his friends' door. He stopped just outside of it and swallowed. He ran his hands over his tentacles again, making sure they were tied back properly. He smoothed out his plaid purple and green button up shirt and patted down his khakis, making sure his shirt was tucked in neatly. He took a deep breath and let it out slowly. He reached forward and rang the door bell. It echoed inside the house and it remained quiet for a moment.

"Who is it?" Came the dainty cry of Senia.

"I-it's me, Senia," Luca responded. A giggle came from the other side of the the door.

"Oh joy! You're right on time!" Senia said, her voice accompanied by the sounds of locks coming undone. When the door opened, Luca gulped again. Senia had her tentacles in a style where one rested in a coil on her head and the other curled around her face and draped down pass her collarbone. She wasn't wearing her usual frilly style of dress and instead she wore a white blouse that drifted down to a black checkered skirt that stopped just above her knees. She brought her hand to her mouth and giggled again. "I hope the silence means you like how I look." Luca swallowed and shook off the stun he honestly should've been used to by now.

"O-of course! You look as beautiful as ever…" Luca trailed off with a strong blush. Senia smiled and took steps forward.

"Awe, thank you Luke," Senia said reaching her hands forward. She cupped his face and ran her hands up his head. She traced her fingers up and around how he had his tentacles before trailing the opposite way and letting them trail down his chest and too his hips, Luca shivering under her touch the entire time. "Oh? Could you have dressed up for me even though such a thing is wasted on someone like me?"

"I mean…I'm gonna be seen with you right? You have a singing reputation and I don't wanna make you look bad if someone sees me dressed like a slouch with you…" Senia's hand returned to her mouth as her giggle turned into a full on laugh. Luca blushed harder as Senia's laughter hit a peak before calming down.

"Look at you. Earning good boy points before the date's even begun." Senia's smile grew predatory as she pinched the edges of her skirt and lifted just slightly. "Surely you must know good boys get rewarded." Luca wanted to respond but the words were lost in his throat as he stared between the girl and what she kept barely out of sight. Senia giggled again and dropped her skirt, wrapping her arm around his.

"Seriously though Luke, let others think what they will. They aren't the ones dating you so just dress comfortably next time, okay?" Still blushing furiously, Luca muttered out

"O-okay."

"Great! Well then, shall we be off?" Luca, with a sudden charge of bravery, intertwined his fingers with Senia's. Senia smiled widely, which caused Luca to do the same.

"Yeah. Let's go."

* * *

Dao sat alone in a dark room, surrounded by beakers and medical equipment and other devices he didn't know by name. He was sitting in the middle of the room on a metal medical bed in only a pair of Octoling shorts. He hated being in this room. It was always so lifeless. So dull. So cold. God he hated the cold. The metal pressed against his butt was freezing and showed no sign of warming up. When was that old man getting here?

As if summoned by his thoughts, the door slowly slid open, revealing the shiny eyes of the person he thought about. Dao grew a wide fang-filled smile while his eyes curved to a cocky look. The person responded with narrowed eyes and walked over to the side of the room to a table filled with liquids of various colors. He grabbed a few conical flasks and walked over to the table on the adjacent wall, setting them down gently and turning on a computer.

"So," Dao started. "What's the news, doc?" The figure's eyes narrowed once again but he didn't express his annoyance. Instead the sounds of the computer booting up chimed throughout the room. The figure hurriedly typed his commands onto the the keyboard and a small hum began emitting from the device. He began uncorking and pouring the contents of the flasks into a large cylinder device hooked into the left side of the computer. With more tapping of the keyboard, the liquid was mixed and churned until it turn into a nearly translucent jell.

The cylinder itself began to spin slowly, keeping the mixture from solidifying too much. The hum died down to a barely noticeable purr of the computer's mechanics as the figure walked to the first table again.

"So on a scale from one to ten, what are the odds of it working this time?" Dao questioned.

"The odds are as slim as always. Regardless the sooner we land on the percentage of success, the sooner we can move on," came the low voice. The figure opened a drawer and began digging through it. "It's not like genetic modifications suddenly becomes easier." Dao smirked and leaned back, resting on his arms.

"You're supposed to be a genius, right? I thought you would have had an epiphany in your sleep or something." The figure slammed the drawer shut, having grabbed the items he needed.

"Silence! It's not that simple," he scolded walking towards the table. Dao shrugged, looking at the older male as he unwrapped and tore off a strip of medical tape.

"I know, I know. The bags under your eyes show how hard you're working." The figure scoffed as Dao held his arm out. The figure wrapped the tape tightly around Dao's upper arm, almost to the point of deformation. Dao twitched but didn't comment. The figure turned back to the table holding the computer, prepping the syringe that he pulled out alongside the tape. "I mean, I don't wanna sound unappreciative or nothing, so yeah. Thanks for working so hard and all." The figure said nothing. He simply filled the syringe with the newly made liquid. He then sprayed a large volume of it on a large microscope slide in another machine on the opposite side of the computer.

"Hopefully this combination of RNA and proteins will react positively to your DNA," the figure said calmly.

"I still don't really get the difference between DNA and RNA, but if the RNA is what's killing me then hopefully you get it right this time." Dao chuckled at the glare the figure sent his way over his shoulder. The figure took a deep breath and ultimately gave Dao the back and forth he wanted. The machine moved erratically as a small nearly invisible needle came as close to the liquid as possible.

"Hopefully. Once we perfect it we won't have to bother kidnapping any more and move on." Dao hid the disappointment from the studying eyes watching him. Instead he gave a smile and a question.

"And then I'll be truly perfect, right?"

"Close. But if I can manage to edit your DNA to match that of all your siblings… _that_ would make you perfect." The figure turned away and brought his hand up to his mouth in thought.

"Gonna be hard to get DNA from _all_ my siblings, ain't it?" The figure looked at Dao with determined eyes.

"The grave cannot keep me from what I have planned." Goosebumps spread over Dao's skin at the threat towards death itself. A loud beep sounded out as the machine rumbled to a halt. The figure turned towards it as it uncovered itself. There was significantly less of the liquid than when he put it in, but that was expected. Taking the syringe, he withdrew the liquid and walked back towards Dao. "Are you ready?" he asked.

"Well, my fingers are on the verge of going numb so I'll say yes," Dao joked. The figure took steps forward as Dao held out his arm. The figure placed a needle onto the edge of the syringe and flicked it a few times. He held Dao's wrist and injected the needle right below his palm. He slowly injected the concoction with Dao's fingers constricting more and more as it began flowing through his veins.

"Well?" the figure asked. Dao stretched and bent his arm as if testing out a new limb. He smiled and looked up at the figure.

"Feels good to me-" Dao's arm suddenly snapped downward. He grabbed the middle of his forearm and brought it up to further examine the limb. The veins started becoming visible around two inches from the injection point. Dao's fingers all moved around and snapped independently. Dao grit his teeth in pain as he eyed the concoction slowly making its way up his arm. His arm began bending at right angles in the concoction's wake. Inklings and Octarians didn't have bones, but there was a limit to how their bodies were supposed to stretch and bend, and that limit was surely passed. The figure merely let out an annoyed 'tch'.

"Your DNA rejected the injection. It's attacking every cell contaminated with it." Veins up to Dao's elbow were now visible and his arm bent in such a way that the back of his hand was in his armpit for a second before bending a different direction. "Quite violently, I might add."

"Now you have jokes?!" Dao screamed between groans of pain and heavy breaths.

"Calm down. This is why we cut off the circulation to your arm," the figure said as he calmly walked over to the first table again. "It's not like this sort of thing hasn't happened before." Reaching into the bottom drawer, the figure pulled out a large axe, the steel glinting in the light from the room. Dao screeched on the table as his arm continued to twist and snap.

The figure unceremoniously shoved Dao onto the floor. Dao barely noticed the change in his location as his focus was squarely focused on the pain in his arm. The figure slammed his foot on Dao's arm, just above where it was taped down. With a twirl of the axe, he raised it high over his head. He brought it down with extreme precision, severing the limb right where the top of the tape ended.

Dao howled in pain as he grasped the nub where his arm used to be. The severed limb continued to spasm and crack on the floor next to him until it managed to expel the injection from its system. Electric blue liquid stained the floor as Dao's breathing slowly calmed down.

"Another failure. I'll have to go back to my calculations…" The figure murmured to himself. He turned his back to Dao and began typing on his computer again. Dao rolled over on his stomach, pushing himself up to his feet with his remaining arm. "You know the routine. No strenuous activity for awhile, inform me if your body reacts further to the injection, and if you feel strange for any reason let me know." Dao stood up and let his eyes travel from his arm laying on the floor to the spot it used to be attached.

He sent the same signal that would normally cause his hand to clench into a fist. Of course there was nothing where his fist would normally be and his fingers only twitched on the ground beside him. He could already feel the ghost limb feeling coming on. The figure walked from the computer and picked up Dao's severed limb. It leaked blood and the remainder of the injection and seemed to be melting.

"I'll be taking this to study. Possibly figure out why your DNA rejected the injection as harshly as it did." It was disgusting. Seeing a piece of his body falling apart like a wax doll on a hot sidewalk. But it could worse. That could be all of him instead of a severed part of him.

"Well, be sure to let me know what you find out," Dao joked, shrugging his shoulder. The figure simply placed the arm under the machine on the right of the computer and began looking through a microscope.

"Indeed. You are dismissed." Dao placed his hand on his hip. The shoulder of his remaining arm moving enough to show he expected to do the same with both arms. He growled and exited the room. On his way out, he looked at the nub and let out a growl. Man this was annoying. Walking around without an arm was gonna be a pain in the ass. He placed his hand on the nub and focused. Focus. He just had be like his brother.

The door behind him slammed open. He jolted up and turned around to see the very displeased eyes of the figure glaring down on him.

"I said, 'no strenuous activity! Obey commands!" He yelled. Dao withered and nodded furiously as the figure growled. "If you can't follow simply commands, then maybe you aren't fit to rule." The figure slammed the door shut and Dao relaxed. His eyes furrowed at the figure's words though. Of course he was meant to rule. Who else was he gonna get to rule? That wimp Lucius? Fuck that. He was gonna be top dog of this hierarchy and he was gonna make sure Lucius wasn't even a factor. One way or another. He walked off with a large fang-filled smile on his face.

* * *

Sebastian plopped down on a chair, letting out a tired 'whew' as he took the cap off his head. He raised his hands up and began pulling at the rubber gloves on his hands.

"That was so cool!" He jumped at the voice and looked up at the girl looking at him, eyes sparkling in fascination. She was joined by another girl and a boy. Sebastian looked between all of them, a nervous blush and smile crossing his face.

"Yeah! How did you manage to save us, _and_ wipe all of them out?!" The boy asked. Sebastian chuckled and avoided eye contact with the entire group.

"Heheh. It wasn't that hard. I mean, I hadn't used my special so all I did was spam bombs near where I thought you guys were."

"But that doesn't explain how you splatted nearly all of them immediately afterwards!" The second girl cheered.

"Yeah man! That was amazing! We could use someone like that on my Turf War team!" Sebastian continued to smile nervously and shook his head, holding his hands up and shaking them too.

"Sorry guys. I don't really do Turf Wars. I just do this for the extra cash." Sebastian scratched his head and started looking away again.

"Turf Wars give great money too! Especially if you kick butt like you did to those Salmonoids. You'll get paid tons!"

"Sorry. I'm still not interested." The group let out a loud sigh before perking back up again.

"You can at least still do this with us right? With you on our side there's no way we can lose!" The first girl said. Sebastian blushed again and twiddled his fingers a bit.

"S-sure. I'll be doing this a lot, so,"

"Great! Let's exchange numbers!" The second girl said, pulling out her phone.

"Mine too! We can make a squad out of this!" The guy said. "My name is Cody, by the way," he added.

"Oh, and my name is Sireen," the first girl said pulling her phone out.

"And mine is Tendra. It's a pleasure to meet you!" The group exchanged handshakes and numbers while Sebastian smiled.

"My name is Sebastian. It's great to meet you all."

The group chatted on the boat ride back to shore and more on their way to their boss, Grizz. Once grouped in his shop, the squad walked up to the wooden bear statue. It shook for a moment before a grizzly voice began emitting from it.

"Wow! That was amazing, kid! You truly got what it takes to make it in this business! A true profreshional!" Grizz praised Sebastian as he scratched his head sheepishly and his new teammates smiled at him. "So whaddaya say kid? Feel like going another round?" Sebastian looked at the squid kids surrounding him with hopeful eyes and grew a confident smile.

"Sure. Let's do it."

* * *

"So Luke. What majesties do you have planned for today?" Senia bumped her shoulder against Luca's as he blushed. The hybrid ran a hand over his tentacles and chuckled.

"I don't know about majesties, but I don't wanna ruin the surprise either." Senia pouted and crossed her arms.

"We've already been walking for awhile now. How much further do we have to go?" Luca's shoulders slumped. Already this date may have been spiraling downward and it had barely started.

"It's not too far. If I knew how to drive we'd be there already…" It was Senia's turn to giggle. Luca looked over to see her giggling softly into her hand.

"Are you really worried about something like that? I enjoy walking. It's easier to keep up with what's where when I'm taking my own steps rather than when I'm in a vehicle. For example," Senia looked straight ahead, gesturing forward to make Luca look the same way as well. "There's a crosswalk approximately forty meters ahead of us, correct?" Luca didn't know exact measurements from sight alone, but there was a crosswalk coming up.

"Y-yeah. How'd you…"

"I've been out walking this far before. I memorize every path I take." Without a warning she latched herself onto Luca's arm, sliding her hand down his limb until she intertwined her fingers with his. "Speaking of, I've never actually been on the other side of the crosswalk, so you're going to have to be my eyes for now." She smiled up at Luca and his blushed consumed his entire face.

"O-of course. It'll be my pleasure." Senia brought her free hand to her mouth and giggled again.

"Luke, you're so adorable." Luca felt his heart beating in his chest and turned forward. The two exchanged small talk as they walked. Luca was in charge of calling out stores in their vicinity so Senia could check them out if she wanted later.

Soon enough, Luca pulled them to a stop. Senia, still wrapped around his arm, tilted her head. She could feel this uneven pulse exuding from the building in front of her.

"Well, we're here."

"And where is here?" Luca walked forward and Senia could hear the glass doors slide open. Cold air pushed around her form and the soft hum of music came from all directions.

"It's a little place called Octave Studios," Luca started. He looked away as if she could see his ever growing blush as he continued. "You're always singing for someone else, so I thought coming here would be fun for you. You could maybe hear some new singers and get inspirations for your music." He looked down to gauge Senia's reaction to see her staring forward blankly. Her eyes held no indication of her thoughts and her mouth was in a flat line. "Was…this not a good idea?" Worry laced Luca's voice as he thought he might have messed up somehow.

"How…thoughtful…" Senia started walking forward, now solely holding onto Luca's hand instead of his arm. She took cautious steps that made it look more like she was gliding, testing the area in front of her to make sure she didn't run into anything. Her tentacles wrapped around her eyes as her hand stretched a small ways ahead of her. Her head was tilted down slightly, her ears searching for a sound that caught her attention most. She followed it, dragging Luca along for the ride. Luca was just amazed she didn't bump into anyone or anything to try and stop her.

Eventually, she came upon a set of display headphones. A slow rhythm coming out of them as they rested on their stand. For the first time in awhile, Senia released Luca's hand and reached for the headset. She placed them over her ears and all other sounds drowned out immediately. The headphones made the wearer unaware of their surroundings as the store's background music and all background chatter was replaced with the music coming from the speakers. She moved one side away from an ear to speak.

"Do they tell you the artist?" She asked Luca.

"Oh, yeah." He took her hand and guided it to a spot below the stand. "If you press here it'll tell you the singers in whatever is playing." Senia pressed the button and the information she looked for came from the speaker. She smiled. She took the headphones off and just held them, running her fingers along the smooth surface and the cushions of the ear pads.

"I'm sorry, Luke," She said softly. Luca tilted his head.

"Sorry? For what?" Senia gently placed the headphones back where she picked them up and turned towards her date.

"I honestly thought that you'd just take me for a walk around town, and a fancy dinner," She said, a bit of nervous embarrassment in her voice. "But…you actually thought of somewhere to go I would like, so…I'm sorry for misjudging you…" Luca smiled, hand returning to rub his tentacles.

"It was nothing. Honestly I thought that you would've came here before. It's kind of a popular hangout place. They get all the new singles before everyone else." Senia shook her head, hands clasped in front of her as she turned her head to better capture all the sounds around her.

"You don't mind if we stay here a bit, do you?" She asked, running a hand gently on the headphones.

"No, of course not. We can even buy you a CD you like." Senia brought her hand to her mouth again.

"Heh. Heheh. Would you believe I don't even have anything to play it on at home?"

"Really? Nothing?" Senia shook her head with a smile.

"Not a single thing. Every song I know was either taught to me at the restaurant I sing at or I learned while staying with father." Senia's smile faltered and Luca was quick to try and bring it back.

"Well we can stay as long as you want to. Just find some songs you like and we'll see what's recommended based on that."

"Hm. You're sweet Luke." Senia placed a hand on the side of Luca's face and brought him close enough to peck his cheek. Luca raised a hand to his cheek and smiled as Senia went back to listening to her music. Her face was solemn but she seemed to glow in the lighting. Luca couldn't help but to smile brighter at the sight.

* * *

"Attention passengers, prepare for landing. We have arrived at our destination. Repeat, prepare for landing, we have arrived at our destination."

"Oh thank god. I don't know how much more I can take." Agent 1 said with a bit of unease in her voice. Agent 2 snickered as Agent 3 smiled. They waited patiently for the plane to come to a complete stop. 2 and 3 calmly rose from their seats while 1 all but bolted towards the exit. She jumped down the stairs three at a time and took a deep inhale and stretched out her arms.

"Land, sweet land! I'm so happy-" Her voice caught in her throat as she looked around. The remains of a city seemed to stretch far into the horizon. Buildings that once touched the sky now scattered about brick by brick. 1's arms drooped and her jaw dropped at the carnage and the thought of all the lives that must have been lost.

"It's so much different hearing about it than actually seeing it," 2 said slowly stepping off the plane. "It's just….so much more nothing than I could actually imagine." 3 stepped off the plan and growled. This used to be a city. People's homes. And now, there was nothing. Nothing but ruble and dust. He stepped off the ramp and his shoe sank into the ground just slightly. He crouched down and scooped some dust with his hand. He let it slip through his fingers and rolled it around with his thumb. It was a somewhat shiny grey, rough, and made 3 raise an eyebrow.

"Concrete?" He asked to no one in particular, causing 1 and 2 to look at him.

"Very good observation Agent. But not just concrete. It's a mixture of concrete, steel, and rebar. In other words, that dust used to be a building." The three looked towards the voice to see a tall, thin male Inkling walking towards them. He wore a white lab coated covered in a coat of grey dust. He wore a surgical mask and had his green tentacles tied back as most males do. "Don't be alarmed. My name is Seph Mollu. Head forensic scientist of Agent Branch 2B. Pleasure to meet the three that started it all." The Inkling gave a short bow and the three agents gave their greetings.

"Have you found anything here?" 3 asked. Seph didn't say anything at first. Instead of speaking, he turned and began walking the way he came.

"Please follow me, agents." The agents looked between each other before obeying. Seph spoke. "I'm sure you noticed from your flight, but we are in the heart of what used to be Squidville. It's been eradicated to the point that you can park your jet where what used to most likely be a four way intersection."

The agents all held back a gasp. They didn't really know they were at the _center_ of the city. They had closed the curtains on the plane to spare 1's sanity, so they just assumed they landed near the edge of the city. Seph continued.

"Our team have mostly being collecting data and blast residue from the immediate area. We arrived here with a search team for survivors but…it's quite obvious that no one could have survived this." Not too far off, bright yellow tents were scattered around with busy Inklings and Octarians scurrying around.

"So you've set up base here?" 3 asked.

"Yes. Most of the blast debris can be found in this concentrated area. It is easier to set up here and do all our research."

"So what would you like for us to do?" 2 asked as they began walking through the camp. Scientists could be seen bringing in debris and testing materials while other eyed the agents out of the corner of their eyes.

"Honestly there's not much for you to do. You can join the scouts in looking for something that might provide some intellect. If you want you can go explore the outskirts of the city instead. We've been fanning out and of course have yet to get that far. Some buildings on the edge are still intact, albeit collapsed. You might fine something."

"Then that's what we'll do," 3 stated. Seph turned towards the three, cheeks pushing up his mask in a smile.

"Wonderful. I'll take you to your quarters first. You can rest up before you go and get settled or whatever you prefer." The agents looked between each other before all looking at Seph.

"We'll leave immediately."

* * *

"Luca darling, I told you that you didn't have to," Senia said, finger running over the headphones wrapped around her neck.

"No, but I wanted to. You enjoy music so much, I thought you should be able to listen to it without having to sing it yourself," Luca ran a thumb over the back of the hand he was holding and Senia smiled.

"But I'm sure it was definitely expensive. How much did it and the music player cost?"

"Just a couple hundred coins. It wasn't much, I promise." Senia lowered her arm and slowly swung the hand holding Luca's at her side.

"Well it was a sweet gesture. Thank you."

The two walked and chatted, Luca telling stories of him and Eden from when they were younger and how his first Turf War went with his family. Senia shared tales of her and Sebastian, with a few mentioning her older brother. The two stopped at a fast food place and picked up some hot dogfish. They sat down and chatted more. They started sitting across from each other but Senia eventually made her way next to him.

"So Luke, have you come here often? You seemed to have already had an order in mind." Luca chuckled.

"Yeah. Cereza used to bring me here a lot. They serve really good ice cream, and Fridays they have this contest where you can get a free meal if you guess that week's mystery flavor."

"Oooh, that sounds like fun. Did you ever guess correctly?"

"A few times. Usually the mystery flavor was white, but if you looked close enough you could see a tint of another color so Cereza and I would try and use that for a clue." Luca smiled at the memory then looked over to Senia. He then felt bad admitting the advantage he had over her.

"Oh? So like if it was strawberry flavored it'll have traces of pink in it?" Luca blinked a few times.

"uh, yeah actually."

"How observant of you. As a child I wouldn't look anywhere close enough to see such details." Senia admitted. "So tell me Luke, what's your favorite color?"

"Um…my favorite was always blue." Senia twirled her straw around in her drink, listening to the rattling of the ice as they bumped into each other.

"I was never really a fan of blue. Especially dark blue. It was always…cold. And lonely. I much rather prefer a bright color. Like orange." Senia leaned forward and took a sip of her drink as Luca stared at her confused.

"But…I thought…"

"You thought I was born blind?"

"You mean you weren't?" Luca asked, eyes slanted in a look of sadness and pity. Senia slowly shook her head as she continued to stir her drink.

"That…birth defect Sebastian and I mentioned," she started. "My body didn't handle it well. So it took my sight." She took another soft sip of her drink. "It also has a hand on why I never got any bigger. A terrible thing really." Luca opened his mouth but wasn't sure what to say. 'I'm sorry' seemed kind of condescending in this situation. He reached out and took the hand that rested at her side in his. Senia grew a small smile.

"So why doesn't it affect Sebastian like that?"

"Luck of the draw I guess," Senia answered. "Though by that logic, Sebastian being alive would be luck." Clearly interested, Luca scooted a bit closer.

"What do you mean?" Senia removed her hand from her straw and rested it in her lap, leaning closer to Luca.

"Don't tell him I told you, but Sebastian wasn't expected to live more than a year." Luca's eyes widened as Senia continued. "Meanwhile I was born perfectly healthy. So father invested a lot of time with me. Teaching me various things while Sebastian was left in the background expected to just keel over at any point. But he never did. He just grew and grew, father still paying him just enough attention to keep him alive. Meanwhile my teachings getting more and more extensive up until the defect took my eyesight away."

Luca's eyes narrowed. What a shitty parent! No wonder Senia hates him so much. Luca didn't even have a face for the guy and he hated him. He could feel this hatred for this unnamed person and Senia must have sensed it by how she gently ran her thumb over his hand.

"Did he just give up on you too?" Senia flinched for a moment.

"He might as well have. He never cared for us. I wasn't even aware of Sebastian's existence the first few years of his life. He was just using us to live out his dreams. He just keeps up with us enough to keep his shadow looming over us. We can't leave it because he's the only supplier of our medication." This entire situation was very confusing to Luke. He had so many questions regarding her father that he was having trouble narrowing it down.

"So were his lessons bad?"

"Oh they were the worse," Senia sulked. "I still have the occasional nightmare about them…but I would rather not talk about them. Especially here. Besides, what's a nightmare to someone my age?" Senia smiled off the conversation, but Luca still had a bit of seething in his system.

"Where was your mom during all this?" Senia seemed displeased that Luca didn't take the cue to let the subject die, but indulged him in an answer.

"I've never had a mother. It's as simple as that." Luca's eyes narrowed at the comment as Senia finished her drink and placed the cup on the table just loud enough to cause a distraction for Luca. "Well, then shall we get going?" Luca agreed and they both grabbed their plates and left.

* * *

"This is as far as I can take you. It gets really unstable from here," the Octarian driving informed the agents.

"Thanks for the lift, Freddy," 2 said hopping out of the side of the land rover. She slung her Hero Scope over her shoulder as she exited. 1 hopped out of the opposite side with her Hero Roller slung in a similar fashion.

"Don't mention it. I'll be back around 2200 to come pick you up. If you want to come back sooner just radio in and I'll get the message."

"Affirmative." 3 said as he exited the vehicle as well. He had an E-liter leaning on his shoulder and the trio shared a nod with the Octarian. He drove off slowly as to not sling any dust on the Inklings. The agents looked forward to the series of fallen buildings in front of them. They started with about a story or two high and rose the further from the blast zone. The three glared forward at the ruble with 2 taking steps forward first.

"Alright team. Fan out then curve back in. Stay within proximity of each other and report everything you find. If anything moves, radio in and do not engage until we group back up. Ready?"

"Right," came the unified response.

"Alright, move out!" The agents turned into their squid forms and shot forward in three different angles. 3's stare remained focused as he soared through the skies. He reverted to his humanoid form and braced for impact as 1 and 2 disappeared behind the buildings. He kicked up a small cloud of dust as he landed. He wiped the brunt of it off the visor of his helmet and began his search. There was less dust here as a result of the buildings not being completely destroyed.

It was deafeningly silent, with only the shifting of the dirt in the wind making a sound. 3 poked his head in buildings not collapsed enough to be considered safe and searched some safer. If he didn't know any better, he'd think these were just a bunch of rocks and boulders instead of the remains of a city. The further he got from the blast point the more the buildings actually resembled buildings. Another thing he noticed were the splotches of black dust scattered throughout the area.

The wind would only shifted the top layer of said dust and never truly remove the layers beneath. 3 eyed each splotch as if trying to recognize something from them. Finding each spot stretched and spread differently, he simply considered them more of the buildings.

He entered one such building and found all of the shelves of what was once a store blown to the side. His eyes narrowed as the sand once again shifted as he entered. Crystals of grey and black mixed into the air as he walked. Even here he found those spots of black littered about. There were none of these black spots near the blast zones. Curiosity peaked, he knelt down and scooped some into his hand. It was a much finer substance than the grey dusk, moving smoothly between his thumb and fingers. He continued to eye and press against the substance.

He singled out a grain and squeezed it between his nails. He brought it as close to his eyes as possible and looked for any clue on what the substance was. When his nails broke the grain in two, he could've sworn he saw a hint of color.

"Agents 1 and 3. Come in." His thoughts were broken as he reached up to press a button to begin communication. He scooped another handful of dust to study.

"Agent 1, here."

"Agent 3. You find something, 2?"

"I think it's more of a realization more than anything. But I want your opinions on it."

"What is it Agent 2?" 1 asked. 3 simply listened as he continued to fiddle with the dust.

"I'm sure you've seen all the black patches scattered around, right?"

"Yeah. There are a lot of them."

"Well, I had the thought, 'why are there none near the blast zone?' And as I continued, it came to my attention that more buildings are still intact. Albeit with holes blasted in them." 3 continued to listen while trying to split another grain to see what color lied inside.

"What are you saying 2?"

"I'm saying, things are more _intact_ the further away from the blast zone they are. And I don't know if you guys noticed, but the further we get, the darker and more abundant the black spots are. So what I'm thinking is that near the blast zone…people were completely erased, and these black spots are what's left of those that weren't."

3's eyes widen as he let all the dust in his hand fall back to the ground. He shot up and looked around. It was as clear as day now. Walls near where the black dust rested also had this dark shadow on it, most likely from where the poor Inkling or Octarian was crouched or blasted into it. 3 stared wide eye from spot to spot as he could almost see the black dust making bodies, stretched and horrified from their oncoming deaths.

1 and 2 discussed something over the communication line but 3 didn't hear them. His mind was rattled trying to figure out _how._ Inklings and Octarians were mostly liquids. How were their remainders turned into ash? What manner of weaponry could do such a thing? They turned to liquids upon death. Such a sudden death such as an explosion going off would result in the masses getting splatted if anything.

3 ran outside, still trying to get to grips with the situation. It seemed like the number of black marks had multiplied since he went inside the building. It was like 2 said before, seeing it was completely different than hearing about it. He found himself overcome with this sense of both anger and fear. What could he do to prevent this from ever happening again? What could he do to prevent this from happening to him?

He dropped to his knees, dropping his weapon to the side as his brain was overcome with questions he just didn't have the answer to. He sat there, hands shaking as the wind blew gently around him, carrying the dying screams of thousands. His fists tightened and his eyes darted around. How? How? _HOW_?!

"And to think, this was just the warning." 3 flinched. His blood ran cold before heating to a boil. His fingers dug into his palms as he began shaking. He didn't know if it was mostly fear or rage but he knew it was one of the two. He slowly looked over his shoulder, eyes immediately looking at the speaker.

"You," 3 seethed as the wind whipped around again. Yellow tentacles swayed in the wind as green eyes looked down on 3.

"I bet you're smiling under that mask to see me, aren't you? Admit it, you're happy to see me!" The Inkling gave a wide smile and shifted on his feet, feigning nervousness. He was standing on a stray beam from a collapsed building, high up but still surrounded by taller debris. Agent 3 heard more voices, but he drowned them out. They were a buzzing distraction in the back of his head. He reached up and removed his helmet, throwing it to the side as he moved his body to stand. "Whoa. Well that's not a smile at all," the Inkling said frowning and crossing his arms.

On 3's face was a look of rage. His fangs were bared and his body seemed to tense as his tentacles were engulfed in turquoise flames. His eyes focused solely on the Inkling in front of him. His hand wrapped around the base of his weapon as he stood.

"You hypocritical...insane...monster...How? How could you do something like this?!" The Inkling looked down unimpressed by Agent 3 before a smile crept on his face.

"I pressed a button." Agent 3 didn't know when he started running, but he was sprinting towards this man, this thing that held all of his hatred at the moment. He rolled into squid form and shot into the air. At the peak of his jump, far above the Inkling, he unleashed a volley of suction bombs, the explosives raining down beside him as he pulled out a large packet from his jacket. He crushed it within his fist and his tentacles burst into flames again. With a roar cry, Agent 3's body began swirling with ink. The ink swirled around his body before converging on the fist he held over his head. A loud _ding_ sounded as his fist began to glow and he began a sped up decent towards the ground, surrounded by his bombs.

The bombs landed around the Inkling first, latching themselves all around the part of the building the Inkling stood on. They all flashed in warning as the Inkling looked up and smiled. The suction bombs exploded right as Agent 3 connected with his splash down. The ground shook slightly at the explosions went off and turquoise filled the area. When the ink cleared Agent 3's eyes widened. His fist sat in the palm of the Inkling as the last of the ink sprinkled on the ground below. Green eyes looked into purple with a victorious smirk on his face, and turquoise tentacles on his head.

"My turn." There were a few creaks and cracks before the remainder of the building began falling apart. The two Inkings began falling, 3 still staring at his opponents tentacles to notice the free fall. He did notice when the Inkling spun him in the air, and his back slammed harshly into the ground and the Inkling stomped on his arm. He cried out in pain as the Inkling rolled off his arm chuckling, walking away from the downed Inkling. "Poor, poor, little agent. Haven't you learned by now-"

The Inkling was suddenly struck up side the head with a blunt object. The Inkling rolled away from his attacker and turned around, holding his head. Agent 3 stood, fangs still bared as he grasped the nozzle of his E-liter. His right arm dangled at his side, two purple blotches near his elbow where the Inkling stomped on it. Just to complete the scene, part of the building behind him crumbled away, causing him to disappear behind a cloud of dust.

"You got to be kidding me," the Inkling cursed. The smoke stopped directly in front of him and he took a step back. He saw 3's eyes before anything else. This burning shade of purple peering through the smoke. The agent struck, swinging his E-liter like a club towards the Inkling. The Inkling dodged the swing, and then the next as 3 swung relentlessly.

The Inkling ducked under a swing and shot his foot into 3's stomach. He winced and grabbed the limb with his right hand and swung his weapon again. His charger slammed into his opponent's jaw, throwing him off balance enough for 3 to push him to the ground. Pinning him down, 3 moved his right hand to the Inkling's neck and moved his grip right beneath the scope of his weapon, fully planning on impaling the Inkling on the edge of his gun.

The Inkling dodged the attempt on his life, the barrel of the gun embedding itself in the ground next to his head. He shot a palm forward, slamming 3 in the chin before tackling him. The two wrestled along the ground, a flurry of punches and kicks. Eventually, 3 was thrown off his opponent as he shoved both legs into his chest. Inkay was hurled backwards and into a wall.

When he opened his eyes, he was met with a shining fist. 3's face was slammed with a splashdown powered fist. His head crashed into the wall behind him as a swirl of turquoise coated it. The Inkling pulled back his fist and 3 fell to his knees. He hit the ground as his head rung and his vision blurred. With a smirk, the Inkling turned around and began walking off.

"You'd think you would learn by now," he mocked.

"I'm….not done….yet…" 3 growled, clawing at the ground to try and get some balance.

"Yeah. You are. You can't beat me. You have no chance. Even with their help." There was a gun shot and the Inkling sidestepped a blast of white ink. He looked over his shoulder and smiled at his attacker. Agent 2 cursed under her breath at missing. "Nice try. But you'll have to try," the Inkling ducked under a roller, raising back up to grab his attacker and threw her against the wall over agent 3. She let out a yelp as her back slammed against the wall and a scream as it collapsed over with her. She groaned as she rolled over and pushed herself up over the parts of broken wall.

"Harder than that. Well then, now that the gang's all here, I guess I'll formally introduce myself." The Inkling took a slow bow, twisting towards all present. 3 was still struggling to push himself up as 1 rose to her feet and held her weapon tightly in her hand.

"The name is Lucius. And today, I'll show you just how beneath me you all are."

* * *

 **So this chapter is kinda long. Hope you enjoyed it!**

 **Honestly it was gonna be even longer. There were a lot of scenes I wanted to place in it but decided it would be better to save them for the next chapter.**

 **So we have a small look into what the figure is trying to do with a serum. I've dropped a bunch hints about a bunch of things so I hope you're catching them all.**

 **Senia's also inching out more information about her past, along with Sebastian. They'll be a bit more of that next chapter. Also Sebastian got a job at Salmon Run. That'll be touched upon a bit.**

 **And I know I mentioned Cereza and Matzuo would be mentioned in this chapter, but the scene with Dao came out longer than I expected. That just means more of them next chapter.**

 **And I'm sorry for referring to the villain as 'the figure'. It's just no one has had a reason to mention his name. It'll happen eventually. Until next time,**

 **Astalabyebye,**

 **Bang**


	11. A Rainbow of Problems

Lucius chuckled darkly as the agents tightened their hands around their weapons. 2 growled and reverted to her squid form, careening through the air to land next to her allies. She walked towards Agent 3 as 1 stood further in front of the two, making sure her roller was prepared if Lucius attacked.

"Way to radio in for trouble, number 3," 2 scolded as she helped him to the his feet. "God, what are we gonna do with you? Can you go one mission without needing to go to the infirmary afterwards? And where the fuck is your helmet?" 3 growled again as he balanced himself, being sure to drag his E-liter up with him.

"But he did this. He has to be stopped."

"And we'll stop him. You just need to calm the fuck down and do this right," 2 continued.

"Guys! Focus! He's still here you know!"

"Yeah! Don't talk about me like I've already left!"

"You stay out of this!" 1 yelled.

"You good to stand on your own?" 2 whispered to prevent more of Lucius eavesdropping. 3 took a few heavy breaths. He looked up to 2's covered face, seeing the worried expression hidden beneath. He took one more deep breath and pushed himself straight up as he calmed down.

"Yeah. I'm fine," he said slinging his E-liter over his shoulder again, this time holding it in a position more suited for his current 'bludgeon to death' strategy.

"If you guys are done, I'd like to start kicking your butts up and down what's left of this city." All agents growled as Lucius snickered at them.

"Fine! Here we come!" 1 screamed as she ran forward. She let out a war cry as her roller clicked, switching to a more vertical weapon. She did a short hop and held it over her head and brought it down with all of her might. Lucius dodged the roller and kicked her in her chest, sending her sliding backwards. His eyes traveled to the ground following a small _ting_ sound. 1 snickered as Lucius noticed the three splat bombs dropped around his position. They let out their whistle of warning before exploding, sending black ink everywhere. "Yes!" 1 celebrated with a fist pump. 2 and 3 narrowed their eyes at the rain of ink, 3 stepping forward and 2 stepping back.

When the ink cleared, Lucius was standing there with a smirk and black tentacles. 1 and 2 stared wide-eyed as 3 merely sank into a battle stance. Lucius shrugged and chuckled.

"'Well darn. My ink attacks aren't working. What are we gonna do now?' Right? Is that what you're thinking?" Lucius mocked.

"How did you change colors so fast?"

"I guess I just come from a special gene pool," Lucius said walking towards the trio. "So I hope you can swing that thing really hard, girly." 1 flinched and took a step back. 3 took the chance to charge forward, swinging his weapon down with both hands. Lucius blocked it with an arm, wincing from the strike but smiling nonetheless. "By the way, last time we met, you picked up my mask. Can I have that back? Really expensive piece of tech there." 3 jumped back to his group as Lucius returned his hands to his side.

"Is there any reason you keep charging in like a madsquid?" 2 scolded.

"Yeah, this reckless behavior isn't like you," Lucius said.

"And how would you know anything about me?"

"Oh I know a lot about you," Lucius said, raising up his fingers. "I know when you became an agent, I know your blood type, I know all the horrible scars you've gotten from your time with your sister-in-law, and I know who your children are," he said counting off fingers. He grew a large fang filled smile and gave a challenging glare to 3. "How are they, by the way?" 3 took a step forward and 2 placed her hand on his shoulder.

"He's obviously baiting you. Don't fall for it," 3 stared at 2 for a moment before turning his glare towards Lucius, who merely shrugged.

"We're going to take you down, Lucius. One way or another, you're coming with us," Lucius crossed his arms, closing his eyes as if thinking.

"That's a very bold claim. How do you expect to do that?" All agents narrowed their eyes. 3 took a deep breath, bending down to scoop some turquoise ink into his hand and smear it on his wound. With his mind clearer than when he started, his arm had begun to throb and ache. Tensing his muscles before looking back at Lucius, he responded,

"Anyway we can."

* * *

The walk home was mostly quiet. Luca was too busy trying to piece together all the things Senia had told him about her past. He kept throwing sideway glances at the girl walking with her tentacle over her eyes. He just felt so sad for her. Sure he had always had trouble making friends, but at least his parents and sister loved him.

"I truly did enjoy myself, Luca. Sorry if I ruined the date with such a depressing story," Senia said pulling him out of his thoughts.

"Of course not. Thanks for sharing it with me." Senia smiled towards Luca and let the two fall back into silence. "Actually, can we stop at one more place?"

"Oh? A last minute idea?" Senia leaned towards Luca with a devious smirk. "It wouldn't be a love hotel, would it? Luca, you dog you." Luca colored severely before looking around to make sure no one heard her. He was thankful to see everyone else in their own conversations and if someone did hear they didn't make a reaction towards it.

"O-of course not! Listen, just let me lead, okay?" Senia giggled at his reaction and complied. Luca gently took her hand and lead her in silence. They deviated off the path that Senia remembered and he gripped her hand a little harder to make sure they stayed connected. Eventually they entered a store. The sound of the doors sliding open and the temperature change alerted Senia to that fact. Luca slowed to a crawl as he scanned around the store.

"Luke? Where are we?"

"Just a bit further." Senia sank back into silence as Luca guided her deeper into the place. The entire time Senia mentally counted every step, every turn until they eventually came to a stop, and Luca pulled his hand from hers.

"Luke?"

"Alright, hold your hand out." Senia raised an eyebrow but obeyed to find something soft and fluffy land in her hand. She had to quickly react to balance it with both hands as her head tilted. She ran a hand over the object to study it. It had limbs apparently and a small hard part with two glass orbs near the top.

"A teddy bear?" Senia questioned. Luca blushed a bit as he fiddled with his tentacles again.

"Yeah…for your nightmares…" Senia's eyes widened for a moment before they closed and she let out a laugh.

"Luca, what did I say? It's a kind gesture, but I don't need something like a teddy bear too-"

"Listen." Senia flinched at the determined tone in Luca's voice. "I can't say I know what it's like to live how you have, or to lose what you've lost…but…Senia, I…" Luca looked up to Senia, who was waiting patiently for him to continue, and lost his nerve. He glanced to the side blushing. "I…really like you. And seeing you sad makes me want to cheer you up. I know what it's like to have bad nightmares. I've had my own. I wish I could take back whatever your dad put you through, but I can't. All I can do is try to be there for you. So I want to get you this…to remind you of me. So when you wake up from a nightmare, you can hold it, and know you're not alone, and someone cares about you. Because I do…"Luca looked back up to Senia and he flinched.

Her mouth was parted ever so slightly. Tears threatened to spill out of the corners of her eyes as she slowly brought her head down. Her free tentacle wrapped around her eyes again. Now Luca felt bad. He made her cry! His dad warned him not to be that type of guy and he did that too.

"Senia, I-" Luca went to take a step forward to try and comfort the girl to have the bear shoved towards him, causing him to take a step back.

"I don't want it," Senia said, head still held down.

"But…I"

"It's too fluffy…and it's a bear. You're not a bear." Senia stated. "I need a squid. Or an octopus. Either or." A bit relieved, Luca took the bear with a smile. He placed the bear back on the shelf and began looking for the desired plushie. He eventually found an octopus plush. It was a bright orange color with it's out-most tentacles curved in as is with all Octoling. He handed it to Senia and she ran her hands over it. It was pretty big, with the entirety of it taking up her torso.

"Is that good?" Luca asked. After inspecting the plushie, Senia wrapped both arms around it, raising her shoulders and sinking her nose into it.

"It's perfect."

* * *

"Yeah Em, Luca's doing fine. We binged like two series and a movie last night." Cereza said through her phone. She fiddled with the edge of one of her tentacles as she sat upside down on the couch. "He's feeling a lot better. He's out on a date with his little girlfriend right now." Cereza said with a smile. She scoffed at Em's reaction and sat up straight.

"No way, Em! Luke's too innocent to do anything like that!" The doorbell rang and Cereza raised an eyebrow. "I gotta go, Em. Someone's at the door. Yeah I'll be back at the apartment tonight. Love you too! Bye." Cereza hung up the phone and walked to the door. She peered through the peephole to see two bright red eyes staring into hers. The eyes trailed off as they began studying their surroundings, but Cereza smiled regardless. She unlocked the door and swung it open.

"Good afternoon, Mr. Apalo! What brings you here?" Cereza shined. Apalo focused his eyes on her before a smile crept across his face.

"Good evening, Cereza. I have some business with your mother. Is she home?" Glancing down Cereza noticed the large brown crate Apalo had on wheels behind him. She looked back up to the older Octoling and shook her head.

"No, sir. She's not home. She went out to run some errands," she said. Apalo's shoulders slumped and he let out a tired sigh.

"Unfortunate. I'll just have to come back later," he said. "I apologize for wasting your time." Apalo prepared to turn around and leave before Cereza called out to him.

"Wait! She shouldn't be gone too much longer. You can wait here for her if you'd like." Apalo paused for a moment before turning around with a smile.

"You truly are too kind Cereza. I wouldn't want to bother you," Apalo said. Cereza shook her head and gestured inside.

"No bother at all. Please, come in." Apalo gave an appreciative nod and pardoned himself as he wheeled the box in behind him. Cereza closed and locked the door as Apalo waited patiently to be directed. "Um. You can leave whatever that is in the hallway. You can sit in the living room or the kitchen if you want," Cereza said gesturing in both directions. Apalo chose to follow her to the living room and wheel the box in after him. He sat down before she did as she smiled down on him. Apalo sat the box next to his chair and smiled up at the younger hybrid. "Can I get you some coffee or anything? Judging by the look in your eyes you could use a bit of a pick-me-up." Apalo chuckled lightly.

"Coffee would be a godsend. Black please, if you don't mind." Cereza nodded with a smile and stepped into the kitchen to prepare the drink.

"I don't understand how people drink their coffee black. There's a world of flavors and you pick the bitter one." Cereza called as she set up the coffee machine in the kitchen.

"You'll come to a point where you'll appreciate it one day," Apalo called back. Cereza walked in and sat down on the couch across from Apalo.

"I certainly hope not." The two chuckled as the hum of the coffee machine started up.

"So how's your brother doing, Cereza?" Apalo asked. "I haven't seen him since his first time Turf Waring." Cereza grew a wide smirk and chuckled.

"Well, he's out with a little girlfriend today." Apalo raised an interested eye before growing a smirk of his own.

"Really? I didn't know the young man had his eye on someone."

"Yeah. She's a cute little thing. He's been hanging out with her and her brother a lot."

"So what's the young lady's name?"

"Senia, if I'm remembering correctly." Cereza could've sworn she saw a shift in Apalo's face. But then again, she could've Imagined it. He had his hands to his face and only his eyes peered over at her.

"And what's this young lady like?" he asked.

"Well I've only had one interaction with her, but she seems to be a care free spirit. A bright sense of humor. She's blind but she doesn't seem to let that get her down."

"Well doesn't that sound like an inspirational spirit?" As Apalo finished his statement, a loud whistle came from the kitchen.

"Be right back," Cereza called as she stepped out of the room towards the kitchen. She prepped the coffee as quickly as she could and headed back to Apalo, handing him his drink. He thanked her before bringing it to his nose and taking a deep inhale. On her way back to her seat, her eyes glanced over the large box Apalo brought. Apalo let out a satisfied sigh, drawing Cereza's eyes back to him.

"Just the kick I needed," Apalo smiled. His bright red eyes were half-lidded as he took another sip of the drink. They wandered over to Cereza and she smiled. A lot of people found Apalo's gaze to be intimidating or unnerving. Even when she was younger, she never saw him that way. She always saw his gaze as more of a proud parent to a child type thing.

"So what's in the box? If you don't mind me asking of course." Apalo gave a sideways glance towards the box before looking back at the hybrid.

"Just some special weapons for your mother and father. Business stuff. You understand." Cereza nodded and Apalo smiled and took a long swig of his drink. "I fully believe that with these weapons, they'll be able to stop whoever is behind the kidnapping and the bombing of Squidville." Cereza's eyes sparkled a bit.

"Are the weapons really that powerful?" She asked.

"In the right hands, of course." Apalo chuckled. "And I'm sure your mother and father are more than capable enough to be those right hands." Cereza beamed again and Apalo gave her a smirk. "You seem pretty proud of your parents."

"Who wouldn't be? They're great. They're amazing. They're the reason Inkopolis is as united as it is and that more Octarians are living out of the valley." Cereza lowered her head a bit. "I just hope I can leave a mark a fraction as impactful as them."

"I'm sure you'll have your chance," Apalo said giving her a wide smile. Cereza just shrugged and sent a hopeful smile out the window. "So, are you still seeing that Octoling boy?" Cereza colored and returned her sight to the floor.

"Ye-yes I am."

"Then I assume you're using protection." Cereza's color darkened.

"Mr. Apalo!"

"I'm just looking out. We're both adults and I was just under the impression you didn't want a child while sharing an apartment with your friend." Apalo had an amused smile on his face as Cereza gave a pout.

"Well…you're right but…we aren't that close yet."

"Shame." Cereza gave Apalo an odd look. "I'm sure it's nice to have that closeness to someone."

"Y-yeah…speaking of children, do you have any? I never heard you mention them." Apalo swirled what little coffee he had left in his cup and gave a smirk.

"I've always been too busy to worry about such thing. My child is my work."

"That's no way to live. You have a family don't you?"

"My family are those that believe in me and what I believe in for this world." Cereza pouted, giving Apalo a somber smile.

"How old are you, Mr. Apalo?" Apalo paused for a moment, as if he wasn't sure himself.

"I'm basically a walking fossil." Cereza raised an eyebrow and Apalo downed the rest of his drink. "And I've always sort of saw Luca and yourself as my children. I believe in the union of Inklings and Octarians and what better representation of that could their be than two fine specimens as energetic and kind as you and your little brother?" Cereza found herself blushing a bit, having never really heard Apalo praise her for just being her.

"T-thank you," she muttered out.

"I'd love to stay and chat with you more, but I really must get back to work." Apalo stood up and gave a slight nod to Cereza. Cereza stood and gave a smile.

"Well you know you're welcome here any time. And you can even come visit me some time. Just be sure to give me the heads up first." Apalo chucked.

"Of course. Until then." The two said their goodbyes and Apalo left, Cereza feeling a bit prideful and happy to be her.

* * *

The rest of the walk home was even more silent. Luca didn't know what else to say while Senia simply held her plushie in the most protective hold Luca ever saw. It was honestly adorable how she had her face pressed into it as she walked like a shy child. Her free tentacle rested on his shoulder, Luca assumed as a guide, as they walked. He wasn't complaining considering how close she was due to the action. When they arrived to Senia's house, Luca walked her up to the door.

"Well, we're here." He said. Senia said nothing as she took out her key and began unlocking the door. "I…guess I'll see you tomorrow?"

"Why don't you come in?" Luca gulped as Senia entered the dark house. She left the door open and Luca poked his head in.

"I-I guess I could stay…for a little while." Luca closed and locked the door behind them as he followed Senia. They wandered into the den, where she took a seat on the couch, still clutching her new plushie.

"You can turn on the TV if you want." He obliged, turning the TV on and flipping through random channels.

"So…where's Sebastian?" Luca said, trying to start a conversation.

"Work."

"Oh…he has a job? Where at?" Senia shrugged and the two fell into silence. For awhile Luca became legitimately invested in what he found on TV. It was some movie called the X-squid about mutant Inklings with special powers. Breaking his attention came the soft call of

"Luca." The breathless whisper in which Senia called his name sent shivers up his back. He was afraid to turn towards her and what position she'd be in. He gulped and answered still looking at the TV.

"Y-yes?"

"I'm confused…" Luca relaxed a bit, letting out a held breath and turned towards her.

"Oh, about the movie?-" His eyes widened as Senia sat, eyes lidded and the tip of her thumb in her mouth. Her arm still wrapped around the orange plushie. Senia slowly shook her head, placing the plushie to the side and leaning towards Luca.

"It's not the first time we've been alone together, and yet," Senia grabbed Luca's hand and placed it against her chest. Luca's breath hitched and his shoulders stiffened. "my heart won't stop pounding." Attention drawn to the detail she mentioned, Luca realized her heart was in fact pounding against his hand. Equal to or even faster than his own heart was pounding in his chest.

"I-it is…"

"Why?" Senia asked, hiking a leg onto the couch to climb closer to Luca, keeping his hand pressed against her breast.

"I-I….I'm not…I don't…" Senia wrapped her arms around Luca's neck, and pressed her forehead against his. She was basically hovering over him and Luca repositioned his arm beside him. He could feel her finger fiddling with the edges of one of his tentacles and he shuddered.

"I can't help…but have this burning want…" she breathed. She brought her other leg up, placing it on the other side of Luca, straddling him. "Please, Luca…My body feels so hot. And I need to know…how it feels…" Luca stared at her lips as they moved.

"How…what feels?" Senia moved forward to where her lips were merely a hairs length away.

"To make love." Now it was Luca's body feeling hot. Senia kept her oh so very small distance as if asking Luca to meet her halfway. "Please, Luke," she whispered. Luca couldn't help himself. He leaned forward and pressed his lips against hers. Senia moaned against his lips as she pressed her body against his. Luca wrapped his arms her waist. She deepened the kiss, pulling Luca further and further back until she was laying on her back and he hovered over her. They pulled apart, Luca noticing the way her chest moved up and down with her breath as her eyes remained half lidded.

Senia whispered Luca's name again and he shuddered. It wasn't until Luca saw the submissive look on her face that he realized just how fast it all happened last time. Senia just took control of everything while he sat there. Now she was beneath him, breathing heavily waiting for him to make a move. He swallowed, moving his hand to slink under the side of her blouse. She jolted under his touch and Luca tried to remember what all she did to him.

He gently scraped his nails up her side, Senia jumping under his hand. She raised her arms over her head, giving Luca more access. Her face was covered in a light blush as she let Luca study her body. He traveled up her body, dragging her blouse up and exposing the flesh of her stomach. Luca lowered his head, trying to mimic the gentle kisses she once gave around her belly button. His fingers eventually reached her breast and he squeezed and kneaded the flesh.

Every light touch of Luca's hand felt like electricity to Senia. Her back arched as the room filled with her voice. Her breathing became heavy and she placed one hand over Luca's and the other on his head. Luca experimented with his kisses, slowly peppering them higher and higher until his mouth replaced his hand.

Senia let out a loud gasp, body rolling as she held Luca's head to her chest. He snaked a hand up her leg, squeezing and rubbing the flesh as gently as he could. His fingers traced up to her thigh, moving the skirt out of the way and going further north. Senia's moans filled the air and Luca became focused on getting her to make more of those sounds.

"Wait!" Senia said, bolting up and holding Luca at arm's length. Luca panicked. Obviously he had done something wrong. Maybe he touched something he wasn't supposed to do?

"What? What is it?" Senia continued to breath heavy for a moment.

"I…can't…I thought I could…but I can't…hear…" She said between pants. Luca tilted his head.

"Hear? Hear what?" Senia was quiet for a moment. She took a second to catch her breath and calm her beating heart. After a short while, her head shot up, eyes wide. She threw her legs down from the couch, straightening her skirt and pulling her blouse down. In a rush she dug her fingers in the coiled tentacle and pulled it loose, letting it fall down to its regular position.

Luca watched the scene confused. His confusion only increased as Senia quickly hid her new plushie beneath the pillows of the couch. Realization dawned when the front door started to click and unlock. He himself straightened up as the door was pushed open.

"I'm home, sis," Sebastian called out. "I bought some of that fancy lasagna you like," he continued as he started heading towards the living room, obviously following the sound of the TV. He stopped in the doorway and smiled at Luca.

"Hey Sebastian," Luca greeted trying desperately to hide a certain body part from his friend. He gave a smile and placed his hands in his lap as discreetly as possible.

"Hey Luke! Gonna stick around for dinner again?"

"Um, yeah. If you don't mind of course."

"Not at all. The extra serving is great practice. So Senia, you in the mood for lasagna?"

"Sure…" she said. Sebastian smiled and headed towards the kitchen with the bags. As soon as he left the room, Senia quickly snatched her plushie. Luca watched her as she clutched the plushie to her chest as she had the entire walk home and headed upstairs. She said nothing on her way out. Luca watched her round the corner before letting out a loud sigh.

"Hey, Luke," Sebastian called from the doorway. Luca jumped and tensed as he looked over.

"Y-yes?"

"We should hang out at some point. Just me and you. Have a bit of guy time." Luca calmed down and smiled.

"Sure. Sounds like fun."

* * *

Agent 2 was on a knee, holding herself up with her charger as she struggled to return to her feet. Her face was bruised and she was sure her torso and arms had the same colored hue to them. She was gonna have to take a long ink bath to be ready for the camera tomorrow. She growled as she looked up. Agents 1 and 3 were bruised as well while Lucius was practically spotless.

2 looked between the agents in front of her. 3 had a slight wince in his step when he put weight on his left leg. 1 held her roller the way she usually does, but 3 noticed the extra strain she had on her left arm and how she leaned slightly to the right. Her arm must be injured.

2 grit her teeth as she looked at her allies. Her legs shook beneath her as she forced herself to stand. She pointed her weapon at Lucius again, yet he didn't waver. He simply changed his color to white and chuckled. 2 cursed to herself as 1 and 3 took steps back towards her.

"So….any ideas?" 1 whispered to her team.

"We need to pin him into one color. That's our best bet in dealing with him," 3 said. He had begun to run his free hand over his tentacles, worry beginning to grip him over their situation.

"How do we do that though?" 2 asked.

"Do you guys have any super packets left?" 1 and 2 checked their jackets, pulling out a few packets.

"I have Ink Armor and a Bomb Rush." 1 replied.

"I have an Ink Storm left and a Stingray." 3 thought for a moment before glancing towards his team.

"2, give 1 your Ink Storm, and 1, give me the Ink Armor."

"What are you planning?" 2 asked.

"Just a quick brawl. Using the Ink armor to buy some time, 1 and I can fight him up close. If we're in the Ink Storm, I'm sure he'll stay pinned in 1's color."

"That's insane. You're injured enough without having to worry about the Inkstorm," 1 scolded.

"You have a better idea?" The group was silent.

"Are you three done plotting over there yet?" All agents growled.

"Fine. Here 1." The group exchanged packets. 1 and 3 crushed the packets in their hands. Their tentacles ignited in flames before they activated their specials. A large capsule appeared in 1's hand while a swirl of turquoise ink spun around 3. 1 threw the capsule at Lucius, it landed on the ground directly in front of him and rocketed upwards in a cloud of black smoke. The ink swirling around 3 attached to his body, hardening and leaving him in a bright glow, erasing all features of his face except the bright shine of his eyes.

Lucius only smiled, changing his tentacles to black as the first drop of ink started to fall. 2 squid jumped to a higher position out of the rain cloud. She aimed her weapon at Lucius as 1 and 3 charged forward. The two agents swung their weapons at Lucius. The Inkling easily avoided every attack. With a twist of his body he landed a kick into 3's face.

The Inkling slid backwards, twirling his E-liter around and firing a stream of turquoise at Lucius. Lucius dodged that attack as well. 1 threw her foot towards Lucius again. He sidestepped the attack and grabbed her leg. He smirked at her, but before he could do anything else, she swung her roller, slamming him upside the head. He stumbled backwards, and as he righted himself, a blast of white hit him in the center of his chest. He was knocked off his feet and hurled a few meters backwards. He rolled along the ground until he landed on his knee.

When he looked up, 3 was looking down on him, weapon held high over his head and eyes glowing bright in the black ink fall. 3 brought down his weapon and Lucius threw his forearm upward. The two collided and 3's E-liter snapped in half. Even with his features masked by the Ink Armor, 3's face could be seen covered in shock.

Lucius grew a wide smile, throwing his other arm forward and hitting 3 in the chest, sending him sliding backwards. 1 quickly took his place, swinging her roller in whatever direction closed the distance between her and Lucius. He dodged all her advances with a smile. When he threw his own attack at her, 1 dropped into the black ink below her before popping back out, swinging her roller upward in such a swift motion it wiped the smile off Lucius's face.

The roller connected and hurled Lucius into the air. His face was twisted into a grimace as he was launched skyward. He looked down towards the two when a bright twinkle caught his eye. He looked towards one of the collapsed building to see 2 smiling at him, a Stingray charging in her hands. Lucius's eyes widened as a stream of white ink shot towards him. He crossed his arms over his chest and brought his knees up as the stream hit him.

It hit him with enough force to keep him airborne and he grit his teeth to keep his body together. The stream of ink shot through his very being, flying into the distance. The Stingray exploded with a wide mist of ink, consuming him completely as he let out a scream and was hurled through the air.

The Stingray died down and Lucius was hurled into a building, a crater forming where he slammed into it. His body went limp and fell towards the ground. 1 and 3 watched as his body descended, the Ink Storm slowly petering out above them. Lucius's body hit the ground with a soft _thud_ , sending a spray of dust upward and around his position before falling back to the ground. 1 and 3 approached Lucius while 2 jumped to a closer building to keep a good position. 1 and 3 looked down on Lucius's unmoving body.

"He shouldn't have survived that," 1 said, a hint of worry in her voice. Still in his Ink Armor, 3 wasn't able to respond. He didn't want to remove it just yet until he was sure Lucius would stay down. He took a step forward, reaching into the back pocket of his jacket to pull out a set of handcuffs. If he was unconscious they'd actually managed to do what Apalo asked and bring him in. As he crouched down, Lucius's tentacles began to change color. All agents flinched and 3 took a step back. Lucius's tentacles changed color again. And again. They changed in a rapid succession until his head was a rainbow of colors, twisting around in random pattern like some sort of elaborate artwork. .

"What the hell-" 1 was shut off as Lucius suddenly threw his fist on the ground. In the next instant he was before 3, fist swirling a rainbow of colors and eyes narrowed into a determined glare. He threw his fist into 3's stomach. The Ink Armor shattered from the attack and 3's eyes widened from the strike. The ink around Lucius's hand shot out, sending the agent flying backward with a scream.

"Inkay!" 1 shouted. She turned towards the direction he flew to see the ink slowly fizzle out and send 3 rolling across the floor. She turned back towards Lucius to see him throwing a kick swirling with an array of colors into her stomach. She coughed up just as many colors as he body was hurled backwards, slamming into a building as a rainbow splattered the wall behind her. She slumped to the ground, roller sliding out of her hand as she fell unconscious.

"Shit!" 2 screamed, pointing her weapon at Lucius and quickly firing. Lucius raised his hand towards her position. The ink swirled around his hand again. It collected and spun in his palm as the shot reached him. The rainbow ink canceled 2's shot as she sat wide eyed. Eyes still narrowed, Lucius turned back towards 1 and started taking steps towards her. His hand swirled with ink again, this time more violently. The ink swirled up to his shoulder with such volume his arm was barely visible beneath it. He pulled his arm back to strike Agent 1. He paused as dust shot up in front of him. When it cleared, Agent 2 sat knelled in front of him.

"Are you really trying to save her?" His voice had grown serious. His tone dark and uncaring as his eyes burned into hers. She was scared. They both knew it. Even on her knelt position looking up at him, he could see her shaking. Her eyes were narrowed into a determined glare, but her weapon shook in unsteady hands. Without a word she turned her weapon towards Lucius.

"You do know you've lost, right?" He said unfazed by the motion. "You're partner's unconscious, and your hero is unconscious," he added, gesturing towards the two agents unmoving in the sand. "What do you hope to do alone?" 2 didn't answer. If she opened her mouth she was sure her voice would further convey just how terrified she was. What _was_ he? How was he changing colors? How was he _controlling_ ink? 2 was pulled out of her thoughts as Lucius took a step forward. She fired. Again, Lucius raised a hand and blocked the attack.

"You could've ran, you know?"

"And leave my friends behind with the likes of you? No way." 2 was right. Her voice was shaking with fear. But she wasn't gonna back down. She wasn't going to abandoned Callie and Inkay just cause she was scared out of her mind. She stood up, fingers still shaking but pointing the weapon right between Lucius's eyes. "I'm not leaving them behind. No, I'm not letting you take them from me!" Lucius's eyes narrowed further, a dark unmoving green staring into shaking gold as the wind shifted around them. The smallest of smiles snuck its way on Lucius's face.

"Staring death in the face for another, just because you care for them…" in a blink he was moving again. 2 panicked and fired another shot. Lucius dodged the attack and grabbed the Inkling by her throat. "Isn't that nice?" He said with a wide smile. 2 groaned and clawed at the limb as a rainbow of ink began inching over her face. The ink burned and she screamed out as it crawled further up her face. She kicked and clawed at Lucius as he lifted her off the ground. The ink spread over her mouth as she screamed, muffling her cries and burning her tongue and throat. She felt nauseous as her body got heavier. Her ears began ringing and her eyes rolled back into her head. Lucius stood unmoving as his ink slowly consumed her. "Life isn't about _nice_. It's about fighting for survival. Heh. And you better change your DNA if you'd like to fight as equals with me." 2's limbs went limp against Lucius and tears filled her eyes.

"Stop right there!" A voice cried out. Lucius looked up to see a large array of Inkling and Octarians surrounding his position. Each one pointed a weapon at him in what he refused to believe wasn't rehearsed. He paused the advancement of his ink and looked over the group surrounding him. Some were dressed in actual agent garb. Others were dressed in science gear, leading him to believe they just grabbed whoever was nearby and gave them a weapon. Speaking of, one man in a long lab coat and a surgical mask stepped forward, arms crossed behind his back and blue eyes narrowed at Lucius. His tentacles were ablaze with green flames as he came to a stop.

"Put the agent down," he called out to Lucius. Interested, Lucius turned fully towards the man, keeping 2 in his grip but lowering her to the ground.

"Or else?" he goaded. The scientist kept his eyes on the young man but lowered his head.

"I always wanted to try this out,"he said beginning to walk towards Lucius. In a swift motion, he threw his jacket to the wind, a handle clasped tightly in his hand. The handle had a tube connected to where his ink tank would normally go. "Allow me to introduce myself. I am head Forensic Scientist of Agent Branch 2B. You may call me Agent 241." 241 came to a stop, glaring at Lucius. "And I do not appreciate how you're treating my fellow agents." With a swing of the handle, and a press of a button under the hilt, a blast of green ink shot outward, pausing before taking the more refined form of a blade.

Lucius let out a whistle at the sight. The ink flowed outward before curling around and flowing back into the hilt. He had never heard of that weapon before. Fully interested, Lucius dropped 2 to the ground. She began coughing and hacking as she tried to get the burning feeling of the ink out of her system.

"I'm gonna go ahead and ruin the surprise and tell you your ink attacks won't work on me,"Lucius taunted.

"Let us test that then, shall we?" 241 said lowering himself into a crouch. Lucius switched his colors to the same shade of green as 241. The agent seemed undeterred about the change and simply sprinted forward. "If you're so sure about your abilities, then hold still while a cut you in half!" The agent jumped towards Lucius, weapon held over his head and ready to be brought down.

Lucius was fully prepared to just let the blade pass over him. Right as the weapon was coming down, he had second thoughts. He began moving out of the way at the last second. 241's attack grazed Lucius' chest, leaving a long cut across his shirt and abdomen. Eyes wide in surprise, he looked down at the crouched Inkling who was readjusting his blade.

241 came up swinging, eyes narrowed in a determine glare to dice Lucius to bits. Lucius dodged all the attacks, eyes still wide in surprise and fear as he focused on avoiding the blade. He jumped back to get some distance from the Inkling as 241 stood protectively in front of agents 1 and 2. He glanced in the distance to see other agents picking up 3 before locking his eyes back on Lucius. Lucius stared blankly forward before bringing his hand to his head.

"Damnit all. Why do I keep screwing up? I wasn't even supposed to…fuck…" with a defeated look towards the scientist, Lucius took a step back. "Fine. I yield for today."

"And what makes you think I'll just let you leave?" 241 said. Tentacles once again shifting in rainbow colors, Lucius crouched down and let a swirl of ink surround him.

"I don't think you have a choice in the matter." The ink collected beneath Lucius, shifting the sand around him before rocketing him in the air.

"You're not getting away that easily!" 241 screamed, eyes flashing from the activation of his special. His Ink Blade shook violently as he held it to his side. He swung the blade towards the airborne Lucius. The Ink Blade was launched as a crescent blade towards the surprised Inkling.

"Shit shit shit shit shit SHIT!" Lucius called as the green blade grew closer. He threw both of his hands forward and had them swirl with a rainbow of colors. He swirled as much as he could as the attack connected. Lucius struggled against the attack as it started to cut through his defenses. He leaned back, trading off his momentum to deflect the slash over his head. Without him holding it back, the slash picked up its previous speed, slicing through one of Lucius's tentacles.

"God, DAMNIT!" He yelled falling down to land on the roof of a building. "Pieces of SHIT!" He yelled down to 241, running a hand over his severed limb. 241 was breathing heavily, the handle of his weapon dripping green ink instead of forming the blade again. Lucius growled again, swirling ink around his feet. "I won't forget this! You're gonna pay for this, mark my words!" With another hard jump, Lucius shot high into the air, far further than any squid jump should allow.

Once he was out of sight, everyone began moving to retrieve the wounded agents. 241 took a deep breath, placing the blade of his weapon back in his pocket and stepping over to the barely conscious Agent 2. She was trying to push herself up as 241 stepped up to her. When he reached her, he leaned down to her and placed a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"It was a good thing you set off all those specials. Seeing an Ink Storm and a Stingray go off was the perfect sign of something going wrong," 241 said. The corners of a smile peaked around his mask.

"H-how…what was?-"

"My weapon? Made it myself. I'll explain everything when you wake up." 2 was a bit confused at first, but her eyes grew heavy and her sight blurry. Before she could respond, she passed out.

* * *

Dao stepped out of his room, smiling to himself at the soft whimpering he was leaving behind. He turned to make a comment when the sound of footsteps stole his attention. He glanced to his side to see bright red eyes locked onto his position. He closed the door to his room as inconspicuously as he could.

"Sup boss? What're you doing in these parts?" He chuckled softly as the figure approached. When he got close, Dao almost shuddered at the look on his face.

"I've learned quite a lot about our enemies. We may be closer to our end goal than I anticipated. Don't do anything that will draw attention to you. You are to remain in the hideout until further notice." The figure began to walk past Dao as his eyes widened.

"What? What do you mean stay here? Don't we need to get more test subjects?" He said as he began to follow behind the figure.

"What we have now will suffice. I can continue my research and let everything else just fall into place."

"So what, we're just going to wait?! Sit around twiddling our thumbs?!"

"Yes," the figure roared, turning towards Dao and having his bright red eyes to glare down at the younger male. Dao wilted under his gaze. The figure turned his back towards Dao and continued walking. Without the demonic orbs peering down on him, Dao found his nerve and continued after him.

"But we can't just disappear! That would be even more suspicious! They'll investigate more and try to figure out where we went! And what about your followers? They'll get impatient if you tell them to just wait and nothing else." The figure growled at Dao's insistence and Dao took a few steps backwards. He let out a growl of his own.

He was not gonna get trapped in this leaky hunk of junk again. He had to think of a way to change his mind. His eyes darted around, trying to remember everything that he was taught over the years. Every battle strategy, every history lesson, everything that could possibly cause a change of heart. "We could go out with a bang! Listen to me," Dao said as he stepped in front of the figure. The figure stopped his movement but continued glaring down at Dao.

"If we start a big scene, then everyone is of course going to get riled up. Blow up a few buildings, kill a few innocents, and then at the end of it all, fake your death, then they'll all be so relieved that when we unleash the _real_ attack, they'll never see it coming!"

"That idea is ridiculous and completely unnecessary. Now get out of my way. There are other things I need to do." The figure pushed passed Dao and the Octoling growled.

"If you weren't always waiting for shit to come to you, you would've perfected the world _decades_ ago, old man!" Dao screamed. The figure turned towards Dao and the younger male shuddered.

"Need I remind you that your life is in _my_ hands, and if I want you dead, then you have nothing else but to crawl into the corner and accept it. You can leave, but I'm sure I don't need to remind you of the fate of your sister." Dao shuddered again and lowered his head. "I'm sure your brothers wouldn't mind ending you like her when you inevitably come crawling back." Dao was now shaking in silence. With nothing else to say, the figure turned around and continued to walk off. Dao simply stood there cursing his life. Fists clenched at his sides and eyes glaring forward, he _refused_ to sit idle.

* * *

 **Guys still enjoying the story? I'm sure Inkay's not enjoying having to be saved every time he runs into Lucius. Sorry if you guys got tired of seeing numbers in this chapter. I was just tired of typing "Agent" so much. And since they are in their agent personas, they would be referring to each other as such. Except with Callie, when she called out Inkay's name in worry. Out of the Squid Sisters I feel Callie would be more likely to make that kind of slip up.**

 **Apalo has delivered the gauntlets to the Squiliam household. Does this mean we're gonna see Cerata kick some ass soon? Will Inkay finally stop getting his ass kicked? Only time will tell.**

 **Luca also all but confessed his feeling to Senia and she's taking it...strangely. That dynamic will be on ice for a bit as we focus on Luca and Sebastian and let Senia stew in her own thoughts next chapter.** **There will also be more time given to Cereza and Matzuo next chapter.**

 **Finally, Dao doesn't seem to see eye to glaring red eye with the figure. If he's not going to sit idle, then what exactly _is_ he gonna do. You'll have to come back next time to find out. **

**Again, thanks to all who have read this far, and a special thank you to all who left a review on both the previous chapter and the "Alone" side story. Until we meet again,**

 **Astalabyebye,**

 **Bang**


	12. Pros and Cons

Inkay's body suddenly lurched. His limbs tightened and his nails scratched against the ground beneath him as his chest heaved. He leaned to his side, rolling over a bit and coughing violently before unleashing a colorful array of his stomach's contents.

"Oh god," came a raspy voice. Breathing heavily and spitting more of that vile mixture from his throat, Inkay turned his head towards it. "Please at least give a warning before you do that again. Seeing you puke all of a sudden makes me feel even more nauseous."

"Glad to see you care so much, Marie," Inkay said, spitting more of the substance to the ground. When his eyes cleared he was met with the rainbow mixture he had thrown up in a large bucket. They must have expected him to have to spill his guts all over the place. He straightened himself up on his bed, stomach hurting from both the sudden expulsion of its contents and from the attack on it.

Wrapping his arm around his stomach, Inkay looked around the room. Marie was sitting cross-legged on a bed across the room to his right. Gone was her agent clothes and she instead wore a muscle shirt and Inkling shorts. A large bucket of her own sat in her lap and she had her arms wrapped around it like it was her sole lifeline. Her eyes had this dull look in them that spoke of how much discomfort she was in.

Inkay pushed himself to the back of the bed. He took a deep breath and let it out slow, his mouth filling with the unpleasant taste of stomach acid and ink that was the wrong color. "Excuse me for not being considerate of your needs," Inkay groaned.

"You are excused," Marie groaned back, her body lurching and her cheeks bulging as she leaned towards the bucket. She swallowed the bile trying to escape her throat and groaned in disgust. "I should have just let him kill me," she complained.

"Don't say things like that," Callie scolded. Inkay rolled his head to the opposite side. The second Squid Sister also had her agent gear to the side and wore a T-shirt and inkling shorts. She had a bucket, but it was to the side of the bed like Inkay's. She looked like she had thrown up earlier but had since composed herself. "Death is no joking matter."

"I know. I feel like it," Marie said, covering her mouth as another jerk wracked her body. Inkay chuckled, looking between his group and forced a smile.

"Well aren't we a sight? So what happened exactly? Anyone explain anything?"

"Yeah. That scientist Seph Mollu showed up. Turns out aside from being the head scientist of a branch, he's also a field agent. Number 241," Marie said. Inkay eyes widened a bit in surprise.

"No kidding? I thought the scientists were always too busy for field work."

"Well from what he told us, there's a branch that works in the field to help defend whatever setups can't be done in the lab. Lucky for us too. I don't think a lab jockey could have saved us from Lucius," Callie said.

"Wait, he took down Lucius?"

"Made him flee at least. He used this weapon he apparently created himself." Callie said picking up her bucket and spitting into it.

"Wow. Sounds amazing. Must be a pretty good weapon, huh?"

"It's not," Marie snapped, causing Inkay to look at her. "It somehow turns ink into a blade. It wouldn't be so bad if it was merely ink controlled into a shape. But he sharpens it somehow. The type of damage that weapon does is illegal. Using it can prevent our Respawners from properly reviving a person." Inkay's eyes widened a lot at the information. He let out an exasperated sigh and ran a hand down his tentacles. It was never just one thing, he always had to deal with a massive shit storm.

"We don't know if he's made more than one, but whether he has or not is crucial information to find out." Callie added. Marie turned her head to the side. A melancholy look graced her face as her shoulders slumped.

"I woke up earlier and questioned him about it. Well, the best I could between upchucks. He just smiled at me and told me to get some rest and we'll talk later. Just don't ask me when later is-" Marie was silenced as her body lurched and she threw up in her bucket again. She spit up some remaining bile and came up in pained pants. "God, why?"

"Why are you throwing up so much? Well…why are we throwing up at all?" Inkay asked.

"It has something to do with that rainbow colored ink Lucius was using," Callie explained. "Seph said he'd give us the complete run down when everyone was awake."

"Creating illegal weapons, who's to say he hasn't already fled the state?" Inkay said picking up his bucket and spitting a small bit of bile and spat in it again. .

"I know we hardly know each other, but have a little faith in your fellow agents," came the calm voice of 241. The original three looked towards the entrance as his smile could be seen from behind the surgical mask. "I'm sure you have plenty of questions you want to ask me, right? So let's get started."

* * *

Cerata came home with a bag of groceries. It had been awhile since she went grocery shopping due to Luca eating over at his friends' more and more often, and her and Inkay usually just grabbing some fast food from somewhere on the way home She thought she'd make something fancy sometime soon and just bought any ingredient she could use.

Hefting a load of bags that made any hardworking Inkling or Octarian sweat, Cerata made her way to the front door of her house without a problem. Well, up until the door and she had to struggle to get her keys where they needed to be. She growled to herself trying to get the item into the keyhole before the door was swung open.

Cereza opened her mouth to greet her mother but paused at the sheer amount of bags her mother carried. A raised eyebrow and a smirk crossed her face as she locked eyes with her mother. "Hi, mom," Cereza chuckled.

"Hi sweetie. I thought you would've left by now," Cerata smiled back at her daughter as she stepped in.

"Need a hand?"

"No thank you, I got 'em all. But can you lock the door behind me?" Cereza giggled and did as she was asked. "So what did you do all day? Stare at the TV?" Cerata asked as she headed to the kitchen to set down the bags.

"For a bit. Talked to Em and Mr. Apalo came over. He left you something."

"Oh? What is it? Come put these up for me," Cerata said handing a few bags to Cereza. Cereza took the bags and started placing the items in their proper place.

"He said they were weapons of some kind. He wanted to deliver them to you personally, but you weren't here. So he left them."

"Oh. Those must be the gauntlets."

"Gauntlets? Like what Aunt Octameri used to use?" Cereza asked, her hands moving a bit slower as she stacked condiments in the cabinet.

"Yeah. Just like your aunt."

"Aren't those illegal?" Cerata froze for a bit and took a deep breath.

"Yeah. But it seems to be the only thing that could work against what's threatening us." Cereza walked up to her mother, placing a concerned hand on her shoulder.

"You guys'll be able to handle it…right?" Cerata smiled at her daughter and cupped her daughter's cheek.

"Of course. Like anything can keep your parents down." Cereza smiled but raised her hand to hold her mother's against her face. She could remember times where she was taken to visit her mother or father in the hospital. Bandaged and broken but still forcing a smile at the sight of her. She hated it, but knew it was a risk that couldn't be avoided. Cerata chuckled at the somber expression on her daughter's face. "No matter how big you get you're still just my little girl, aren't you?"

"Yep." Cereza smiled. Cerata kissed her daughter's forehead and continued putting the groceries away.

"So, Apalo didn't creep you out too much, did he?" Cerata asked to try and change the subject.

"I keep telling you that he's not that creepy. He's actually pretty nice."

"Yeah, now. Maybe he's too tired to be his old, very loud self," Cerata said with a smirk, putting the empty bags inside one another. "He used to be very easily agitated. He'd glare at you for stepping a toe out of line and yell at you for questioning anything he did."

"That sound's like an Apalo I'd be scared of," Cereza chuckled.

"Everyone was. Though he calmed down around the time we defeated Octavio. And it stopped completely around when you were born." Cereza blushed a bit with a smile as she turned her back to her mother and began placing things away on the opposite side of the room.

"Well, he told me today that he always saw me, and Luke, as his children. Because we represent the future he wants for everyone." Cerata turned towards her daughter, having placed everything else in its proper place.

"Come to think of it, he was really supportive of your father and I's relationship."

"Really?"

"Yep. Of course not everyone was, and despite what others have it seem, Inkay and I didn't just go 'Let's have a baby!' and then had you ten months later. There was a lot of…rough patches here and there."

"Really? You never told me of any bumps. What happened?" Cereza asked as she took a seat on the counter. Cerata stared out the window, watching the sun start to dip behind the roofs of the buildings as she reminisced the first year of her marriage.

"It took us about a year before we were comfortable having a child. Had to find a good place, with a good neighborhood, and a good school. Had to keep up with work too. We wanted a small wedding but everyone wanted to pitch in and make it huge since it was the first of the new world. Heh. Had to be careful going through the honeymoon phase," Cerata said with a smirk.

"Ew. Mom, skip the details." Cerata laughed and continued.

"When we were finally in a place where we figured we could raise a child, we couldn't. We were so similar that being told we were 'too different' to conceive was heartbreaking. Every doctor we went to said it had never been done, and couldn't happen. It was depressing. Inkay was really supporting about the situation and comforted me on those dark nights. Then Apalo noticed my sour moods and he became like a father figure for me to vent how heartbroken I was. I didn't want to vent it to Inkay at the time because I know he felt the same way and I didn't want that further on his conscious."

"Well what did you and Apalo talk about?"

"Just whatever was on my mind. He'd give me days off where he'll listen until I cried and comforted me until I fell asleep. I never knew my father, so he easily filled the void during that time. A few months after I started my impromptu therapy sessions, long after I had stopped even buying pregnancy tests, a week of morning sickness led me to buy one and I was happy to see I was expecting." Cerata grew a large smile as she walked over to Cereza and ran a hand over her head. "You have no idea of how ecstatic I was to be having a baby. A little girl. After trying so long and being told by everyone that it couldn't happen, I was gonna have my miracle baby." Cereza smiled up at her mother. She had never gone this in depth on the story leading up to her birth and just how happy her mother was she was born. Cerata stood before her on the verge of tears as she continued.

"Normally the guy, if he's worth the time of day, dotes on his wife and makes sure everything was okay during the pregnancy. So much that the wife gets sick of it after awhile. But you know what?"

"What?"

"I was too worried to be sick of it. We had been told so much that it shouldn't happen that when it did we were afraid it would go wrong in some way. There were so many ways it could. Miscarriage, sickness, one of the many people against our relationship. Both Inkay and I would freak out whenever you kicked in the latter months. Inkay more so than me." The two laughed at the information as Cerata continued. "And eventually, through all the worrying and the accusations, you were born. My healthy, beautiful baby girl. Inkay and I were so happy we were both in tears. Though he'll deny it if you ask him."

"Not if I give him the puppy dog pout." Cereza smirked. Cerata laughed with a finger to her mouth a gave a large smile.

"Yeah. You're right."

"But you said there were accusations. What were they?"

"Well, at first glance you look like an Octoling. So a lot of people figured that I merely had an Octoling lover and conceived you that way. But I didn't care. I had my own, blood daughter with the love of my life and he never doubted me for a second. I knew you were his, and he knew you were his, so nothing else mattered."

"How sweet. Did you guys plan on having Luke too?"

"Yeah. We figured you'd like a playmate for when we had to stay out late. Plus Inkay wanted another kid as well. Said sibling relationships are some of the strongest. It also debunked all the accusations. Luca looks more Inkling and a lot like his father."

"And he was a great playmate." The two chuckled again as Cerata headed out of the kitchen, Cereza jumping off the counter to follow. "So…was I everything you hoped for in a daughter?" Cerata stopped on a dime and pivoted to look at her daughter. Her eyes locked Cereza in place as the younger female waited for an answer.

"Of course. You're my sweet, beautiful, perfect little girl." Cerata pulled her daughter into a hug, which she immediately accepted. "And I love you and Luca more than anything."

"I love you too mom." Cereza said with a wide smile.

"I don't know what I'd do if I ever lost you," Cerata added, holding Cereza even tighter. The hybrid tightened her hug as well as her mother stroked her head. She was extremely happy on how the day was going.

* * *

Senia laid on her bed in a ball, clutching the recently bought plushie to her chest. Aside from the plushie in her arms the only thing in her focus was her heartbeat. It hadn't been normal since Luca's confession, and she was concerned with why. His confession wasn't _that_ spectacular. So why was she constantly thinking about it?

She constantly tried to make a mental image of Luca's face. She had already ran her hands along it, so the structure was there, but she wanted to know more. She wanted to see if his eyebrows perked as he spoke or if his eyes darted around in his nervousness. She wanted to know how his face shifted as he spoke his confession, because she needed to know if he was lying.

Her mind's eye kept creating an image of Luca covering a laugh during that pause in his confession. Eyes cast down mockingly as he pulled the rug from under her. Did he really care? There were two answers and each one had her squeezing the plush a bit harder.

The thought of him caring made her ecstatic to the point she had to fight to keep the blush and goofy grin off her face. Aside from her brothers she hadn't heard someone mutter something like that.

On the other hand, if he didn't, telling her that was a game she didn't know if she could play. Four little words he had said had her attached to him and if he were to back out now, she didn't know what she'd do.

So she laid on her bed, mind racked with the thoughts circling around the two what-ifs and the outcomes of each. If he did care and they became official, how would she explain it to her brothers? Surely they'd get the wrong idea of their relationship. Well, the used to be right, now wrong idea on the relationship. But if she explained her feelings, maybe they'd come to terms with her not having any ulterior motives. Sebastian may be convinced if she promise to treat him to that burger and shake combo he loves so much. Her older brother on the other hand, will probably need more than a bribe to believe her. She just had to think of the right words to tell him. It would probably be better if she told him out of her own mouth instead of him happening upon them in the city.

She had began imagining all the ways things could go right. Luca meant what he said, her older brother would believe her feelings, they'd start dating, and everything would be gumdrops and ice cream. She could already imagine the playful teasing the two would exchange, and Sebastian joking about being the third wheel. She would give Luca a personal concert, learning all his favorite songs and performing them the best of her abilities. Maybe she'll be able to share her fears with him. Talk about her worries, and doubts and he'd squeeze her hand and lie to her that it'll all be okay.

With that thought she began imagining all the ways things could go wrong. Luca and her could begin dating, but the love and caring wouldn't be there. They'd drift further apart and she'd be left alone again. Sebastian might distance himself and Luca, being the kind soul that he is, may break it off to amend his relationship with her brother. He did get to meet him first and aside from their private meetings, Luca was closer to Sebastian. More likely her older brother wouldn't approve. He'd do everything in his power to split them up. Maybe even going as far as having their father move them to another city. Maybe her illness would get the best of her. Something with her medicine could go wrong and she'd…

A tear traced down her face, slowly being absorbed by the fabric of the plushie. The single tear had brought her out of her thoughts, but it only paved the way for more to follow. She hadn't cried since her time with her father. She could put up with pain and thought herself mature enough to not cry over some boy. But it had been so long since she _had_ anything, the thought of losing it terrified her. Luca was a ray of innocence and the comparison of him to herself made her feel disgusting. There was no way she could let Luca know about her past. He'd see her as nothing as filth and she didn't know if she could take that.

She squeezed the plush a little tighter. Just this one small gesture of kindness was causing her such headache that it made her fear what any other action of care from Luca would do to her. If there was any god listening, she was praying for a happy ending.

* * *

"Please tell me you have something to keep my insides, inside of me," Marie groaned after once again releasing her stomach contents into her bucket. Seph chuckled and slowly shook his head.

"I'm sorry. At the moment the best thing for your condition is what you're currently doing."

"And what exactly is our condition?" Callie asked.

"Well, I don't think you all need such an in depth explanation, but just in case you skipped your anatomy class in grade school," Steph pulled out a large scroll and rolled it open. On it was an x-ray image of an Inkling. He gestured to the image as a whole before speaking again. "As I'm sure you know, Inklings do not have a skeletal structure. From a natural standpoint, we should be shaped more of a bag or blob more than anything. Our form is given to us via our bodies making ink pressure. It gives our bodies shape. The cells in our bodies constantly press against the ink, making the pressure. Whatever the dominate color we have chosen at the time determines what color our cells can push up against." He glanced over the room, the bored look on everyone's faces caused him to smirk a bit.

"Which is why ink of a different color causes us to splat. Our cells absorb rather than push against the ink, causing the cells to expand. If we're exposed to more ink that's not the matching color, our bodies can't expell it fast enough. Once they absorb too much, the foreign color leaks into our supply. Our supply then gets shifted the foreign color, expands our cells even more, and we explode." Inkay finished.

"We understand why that works. We don't understand why my guts are trying to escape." Marie added. Seph chuckled again, closing the scroll and placing it in his jacket.

"With this rainbow ink, it still follows that pattern. If it's not the correct color, it passes into our cells. If it is, it gets pushed back. However, with this rainbow ink, it gets absorbed, but then it ends up inside the cell still changing. Which is what is causing your sickness. The cells now have a familiar substance on the inside. Which it removes by kicking it out. But then it changes back into a foreign substance. So it slides back in. This constant exchange causes an imbalance. One moment your ink pressure is normal, but the next its either too high or too low. Your body continuously tries to right itself, but to no avail. It finally decides the best thing to do is simply flush it all from your system. Once it does that you'll probably feel a little anemic but that should right itself as well." Steph took a small breath after the lengthy explanation.

"So that's why Marie has it worse. She was exposed to more ink," Callie said. Marie groaned more at the thought of the only cure was to wait it out.

"Is there a guessimate on how long it'll last? For me?" Marie asked. Steph just shrugged.

"Our, 'guessimate' is for it to last about 48 hours. Give or take depending on how much you vomit. I'd suggest stop fighting it and let it happen when the urge arises." Marie groaned again.

"Now that that is settled, let's move on to the next topic." Inkay said, gaining the attention of all except Marie, who laid her head against the wall. "Why did you invent that ink blade thing?" Steph smile shrunk behind his mask and his eyes softened.

"Ah, yes. I was hoping to prolong that a little longer," Steph said, reaching into the back of his jacket and withdrawing the mentioned item. It was simply a handle with the bottom having a tube go out and wrap around it. "Here it is. The Ink Blade. With Sprinkler sub weapon and an all new Ink Slash Special." Steph modeled the weapon with a proud smile. The agents looked less than pleased.

"We asked 'why did you invent it?', not 'what is it?'" Steph chuckled at Inkay's response.

"Of course. Would you believe me if I said that I didn't know what I was creating?"

"Nope."

"No way." Marie was about to agree with the disagreement but instead chose to empty her guts once more into her bucket. Inkay winced at the sloshing sound bouncing around the room. Steph chuckled, and placed the weapon back into his pocket.

"Figured not. But that's how it began. Vague blueprints showed up on my desk. Curious inventor I am, I worked on it."

"How could you not know you were building something illegal? That just sounds suspicious to me." Callie said. She crossed her arms and glared at the Inkling. He chuckled nervously under her gaze and took a seat.

"I understand your suspicions. But imagine it more like putting together a puzzle. A very large, complicated puzzle. You have all the pieces but you have to get to a certain point before you see the picture. At one point I thought it would be some kind of ink powered light. The energy created by the circulation does generate a bit of a glow," He explained. "Honestly this isn't even the final product. The blueprints had it with a motor and a more flexible shape. Along with some extra doodads."

"And what would that have accomplished?" Callie asked, having pulled a small notepad out of seemingly nowhere.

"Well, instead of an ink blade, it would be more along the lines of ink bladed whip. Capable of reaching just beyond an E-liter's range. Maybe more if you could withstand pumping in some extra ink." Inkay and Callie's eyes went wide eyed. Its current range was nothing compared to that length.

"Great. Let's give it up to him and give him the 'not as illegal as it could have been' award!" Marie spat. She was obviously displeased that he couldn't further help her in her situation.

"I am not trying to defend my actions. Only explain them. It wouldn't be the first illegal item I've built. I also was requested to build a pair of ink gauntlets."

"Wait a minute, you built those?" Steph nodded.

"It was a direct request from Apalo. He told me it was so the top agents had a better chance against these terrorist attacks." Steph took a few moments to glance around the room. "Which surprised me when you showed up without them. I was expecting him to give them to you. But apparently I was mistaken." Inkay noticed the slight condescending tone in the agent's voice but chose not to acknowledge it.

"He said he was getting a set ready for me. I just never expected to meet the maker before actually getting my hands on the gauntlets."

"That's strange. I delivered them to Apalo a couple days ago. I thought he would've given them to you buy now." Inkay mulled over the information. Apalo had ample opportunity to give them the gauntlets. The question now was why hadn't he?

"We're getting a bit off topic here," Callie spoke up.

"Yeah. The blueprints. Tell us how you got your hands on them. And do you still have them?" Marie groaned out. Steph nodded again.

"Right. Of course. I had just been called to Apalo's office. He gave me my assignment to work on the gauntlets and a written excuse for them. He told me I needed to work on and have them done as soon as possible. I decided to get started. I went to my lab and as I started gathering the materials and the metals to get to work, the blueprints were lying on my work bench. Perfectly centered and seemingly untouched."

"And you just decided to work on them?" Callie asked.

"To be fair, for a while I thought it was something else that Apalo may have wanted me to build. I was halfway done when the realization came to me that there's no way he could've gotten those blueprints to my lab. He would've had to have sprinted pass me, gotten into my lab to drop it off, then snuck pass me again on my way from my office."

"So you acquired the blueprints to a mysterious contraption and just decided to build it for funnsies. I don't buy it," Marie scolded, trying to get her words out before another episode.

"Buy it or not, it's what happened. As a creator, if offered a challenge I have to take it. It's a pride thing. A burning curiosity. How do I know if I can ever do it if I don't try?"

"So you built the weapon. Once you figured out what it was, why didn't you destroy it?" Callie asked, pausing a moment to pick up her bucket and puke a bit into it. She looked up, groaning lightly before setting the bucket back down.

"Not sure. Maybe it was divine intervention? If I had destroyed it, you all might have been killed by that Inkling earlier." Inkay huffed. He had a point, but that didn't really make the item any less illegal.

"So Inkay? What shall we do?" Callie asked. The other three agents looked at Agent 3. Suddenly placed in the spotlight, Inkay went wide eyed. He took a moment to glance at all present before letting out a sigh.

"We have bigger things to worry about at the moment. If these things can help us bring back peace…we can discuss the legality in court with Apalo after all this blows over." Inkay said, looking mostly at Steph. The Inkling took a deep breath, a smile peeking from beneath his mask.

"I was hoping to get an 'all clear', but what can you do?" He chuckled lightly to himself but no one else was laughing. "But, while we're all in mortal peril, I'll happily make you all a set if you would like." He smiled his widest smile yet, causing the other three agents to cask nervous glaces towards each other. "The blueprints are still locked up tight in my lab."

"No thanks. And we're most likely gonna have to confiscate those blueprints," Inkay said wearily. Steph shrugged and pushed himself out of his seat.

"Well, as a show of good will, you can have this one." Steph took out the Ink Blade and handed it to Inkay. The Inkling looked up confused as another smile crossed Steph's face. "If you're in a situation where you need the gauntlets, the blade would definitely be just as useful." Inkay slowly reached for the weapon as if it would bite him if he moved to fast.

"Um…thank you?"

"Just a heads up. The way it uses ink is exhausting. Especially using the Ink Slash. Keep it for a last resort kinda thing."

"I'll be sure to keep that in mind." Steph shook Inkay's hand and gave another large smile.

"And if you ever want those extras, just let me know. Before all this blows over of course."

* * *

Lucius walked through the halls of his base practically fuming. He held back too much for too long. Now it cost him his mission, a tentacle, and possibly more depending on his boss's mood. His face was contorted with disappointment towards himself. But it shifted to anger at the sight of a certain Octoling.

Dao smiled. He was walking in the opposite direction as Lucius and eyed the now missing tentacle on his head. Lucius already knew it was coming and was mentally preparing himself for whatever insult was coming his way.

"Is it just me, or are you not as big headed?" There it was. Dao chuckled as Lucius kept up his stride.

"And you don't seem as handy as you used to be." Dao laughed, raising his amputated limb, waving around the nub where his wrist used to be.

"Hey hey, at least mine is growing back," he said pausing his steps and looking over his shoulder. The Octoling eyed Lucius's retreating form as a wicked smile crossed his face. "Yours would too if you had just ea-" Dao hit the ground hard as Lucius's fist met his face. Dao hissed and bared his fangs at the Inkling standing over him. Lucius was rapidly changing colors and ink swirled around his hands.

"Don't…even mention that." He growled. Dao's smile returned.

"Wow. You miss the little harlot that much?" Lucius's fists tightened. Dao chuckled again and began pushing himself to his feet. "You barely even knew her. What kind of attachment could you have possibly had besides a physical one?" Lucius took a large step forward and lunged his foot into Dao's face. Dao's head was thrown back and he let out a loud cough that slowly evolved into a laugh. "Though, I guess we ended closer," Dao said as his tentacles seemed to lengthen slightly and the veins in his arms bulged. "I've never had another like her."

Lucius charged towards Dao again. He threw his fist towards the Octoling's face as Dao lunged upwards. Lucius's fist was caught in Dao's palm. An array of colors fought for dominance with a large swirl of purple. The white of Lucius's eyes flashed an array of colors as he glared at the smiling Octoling. "Oooh, looks like you're really mad now. You're doing your little involuntary seizure procedure thing." Dao laughed as the ink around Lucius's arms vibrated violently.

"Keep running your mouth and I'm gonna have to make it stop myself." Lucius growled.

"Even with one hand I can kick your ass," Lucius swung his free hand at Dao. The Octoling ducked under and kicked Lucius in his chest. The Inkling dug his feet into the ground and skidded to a halt. Dao hoped from foot to foot as if psyching himself same smile spread across his face as Lucius rushed him again.

Fists swirling with so much ink they weren't visible, Lucius threw a volley of punches at Dao. The Octoling bobbed and weaved through the onslaught before delivering a hard palm into Lucius's chest. The Inkling slammed into the wall with a pained grunted.

"I'm not afraid of you, or your little chameleon ink. Because I'm on the verge of invincible. And you're not because you're too much of an emotional pussy." Lucius threw a jab, the ink around the fist flying out like a cannon. Dao swayed to the side and the ink crashed against the wall. Dao laughed as he looked between the cratered wall and Lucius. "Now you know its dangerous to be doing that kinda shit here." Lucius only prepped his arm by replacing the shot ink. Dao smiled and turned fully towards Lucius. "This ass whooping's been a long time coming, Midas!"

"Don't. Call me. That!" Lucius roared, making a vortex of colors surround his palm and throwing it at Dao. Dao ducked under the attack. It cratered the wall even more but neither combatant paid it any mind. Rising up, Dao raised his good hand before throwing it down to his side. The veins around his wrist exploded with purple ink, instantly coating his hand in a royal shine. The ink hardened, turning his hand into a large claw.

He lunged his new weapon at Lucius, claws outstretched and reaching towards Lucius's face. The Inkling dodged the attack. Dao's claws lodged into the wall, accented with Dao laughing at the image. Lucius threw more punches as Dao dodged. With a swift strike, Dao caught Lucius across the chest. He winced as five large claw marks spread across his torso. He took a step back, looking over the damage done.

"Ooh. That looks like it hurts. I can guarantee that won't heal properly. Now if only you had-" Lucius let out another scream as he charged Dao. The Octoling dodged the incoming attack and punched Lucius with his nub. As he brought it up for a backhand, the veins in the arm exploded like the other. Without his hand to properly form it, the ink dripped into a long blade instead. Lucius's twirled from the force of Dao's attack, a long cut mark now gracing his face. The Inkling growled as a rainbow streamed down his cheek. "Come on! _Lucius!_ FIGHT ME!"

Another roar. And another. The two were practically bouncing off the walls as they exchanged blows. With every blow he took and landed, Dao only laughed harder. With every wave of Dao's maniac of a laugh entering his ears, Lucius grew more livid. Both beaten and bruised, they rushed back in. Dao pumped more ink into his claw to make it bigger as Lucius made a vortex of ink surround his right arm. They cocked back their limbs and prepared to throw the killing blow.

"Enough!" The two stopped on a dime, the ink surrounding Lucius's arm falling to the ground and Dao's arms turning back to normal. They both looked to see the red eyes of their boss glaring down at them. The two stood up straight, Dao choosing to stare at the wall with a smirk while Lucius found the ground more interesting. The figure took slow steps forward until he stood directly over the two. He stared at each one silently for a moment before looking over the damage done to the hallway. "I know you are both aware of the worst case scenario of fighting here," he growled. Both boys were silent. The corner of his mouth poked upwards into a snarl as he spoke again. "Whatever caused this out lash, I don't care for. Just be sure it doesn't happen again."

"Yes sir. of course, sir," Lucius said quickly. Dao scoffed and gave a weak agreement.

"Yeah. Sure. No problem." The figure was silent again as he looked over the boys.

"You. Leave," he said tilting his head towards Dao. "I'll deal with you later." Dao grew a wide smile and gave a victorious smirk towards Lucius.

"No problem," Dao said turning around and walking away. Lucius cursed at himself again for taking the bait. He should've known better. Dao was goading him and he fell for it. As always.

"What is the report of your mission?" Lucius flinched. He opened his mouth once but no sound came out. It wasn't until the figure roared out a 'well?!' that he was able to speak.

"Things didn't go as smoothly during my mission as I had hoped." He could feel eyes narrowing down on him.

"What happened?" The figure's voice had grown much darker. Lucius swallowed and tried to keep his mind from imagining the worse.

"I lost the upper hand. The agents had nearly killed me so I…had to reveal my abilities…"Lucius could almost feel the burning rage coming off of the figure. He spoke again quickly to try and soothe it before continuing. "If there was another way I wouldn't have done it! But, they backed me into a corner so I…"

"Did you kill them?"

"N-…no…." The figure let out a low growl. "BUT! I-I lied like the mask was important! So…that might…"

"Did you at least mark one of the Squid Sisters for death?" The figure groaned.

"I tried…But I was interrupted. Another Inkling showed up. He had some kind of special ink sword thing. My powers didn't work on defending myself from it." The figure was silent at the information. Lucius assumed the worse as he heard slight shuffling over him. He was afraid to look but he swallowed his fear and glanced upwards. "Sir?" The figure was closing a box, extending it towards Lucius.

"Here you go. As per our agreement." The figure said. Lucius chanced a small smile. He didn't seem that angry and hadn't cursed him to hell. Lucius took the box and the figure turned to walk away. "You had no knowledge of the Ink Blade, and in light of recent information, a course of action could either shorten or lengthen our plans. But all great plans involve a little risk. That's why, for your next mission, the next time you run into Agent 3, you will kill him. The Squid Sisters are no longer a target. The other agents are optional. Understand?" Lucius hesitated for a moment before nodding.

"Yes sir. I'll do it."

"Good boy. If they choose to inspect the mask, that's on them." Lucius let loose a breath he hadn't known he was holding in. He opened the box and all those positive feelings disappeared.

"Hey…" The figured stopped. "This isn't all that we agreed too…"

"Yes. You partially completed your mission. You get a partial reward."

"No, that's not the agreement we made! Every mission I go on gets me the same amount of supplies! That was the deal! I need this, you can't just give me a fraction of my dues!"

"I can. And I just did. Maybe going without will force you to focus on your next mission. Cause less error on your part." Lucius went wide eyed as the figure waited for him to say something. Lucius's body shook as he closed the box. He was overwhelmed by this burning rage and at the same time consumed by this chilling fear.

"What, you want me to choose?!" He suddenly roared. The figure peered over his shoulder. "To force me into another god damn corner like last time?! This isn't punishment, you're just making it more likely for me to fail! And that's what you want, isn't it?! Why can't you just make it easy for me?!" The figure was silent. The hall grew quiet as the only sound was the slight shaking of the box in Lucius's hands.

"Easy? The path you've chosen is the easiest. It's a path with no twists or turns. No alternate routes or ways to get lost," the figured said as he turned slowly, red eyes glowing in the darkness as Lucius fought to remain rooted in place. "It is a path without choices. For you see, _Midas_. A man chooses. Unlike a slave, who never strays from the path that his master paves. He follows every order and does everything they say." The figure had been taking small steps towards Lucius. With every one, bravado could be seen draining from the Inkling's face. The figure now stood directly above Lucius, glaring down at him with narrowed eyes. "Now would you kindly, obey?" Lucius stared up into burning red eyes until he couldn't take it any more. He looked down and clenched his own eyes shut. His fingers dug into the box as his arms continued to shake. They slowed to a stop and Lucius let out a sound that was a mixture of a disappointed sigh and a whimper.

"Yes….I'll obey," he whispered as he watched the ink along the floor slowly wash away.

* * *

Luca and Sebastian were watching the goriest of horror movies. A masked murderer had just beheaded a teen and the hybrid nearly toppled the couch with his shudder alone.

"You were right, bud. You suck with horror movies," Sebastian chuckled.

"Shut up. How are you so okay with it?" Sebastian was quiet for a moment with his signature smile on his face.

"Well, at the end of the day, it's just fake pictures on a screen."

"Yeah, but…still…" Sebastian chuckled and returned his attention to the screen. Luca did the same with a groan. The movie went on, with Sebastian stealing glances at Luca when he knew a murder was about to happen. The way Luca muscled through the scenes was both admirable and hilarious. His body would lurch and he'd bring his hands up as if he was about to cover his eyes, but stopped so it looked like he was gonna throw up into his palms instead. He was almost caught laughing multiple times but managed to revert his gaze back at the screen before Luca caught him.

Once the movie was done, the sun was beginning to set. Luca stood up and stretched his muscles. He groaned and looked towards Sebastian, who gave a large smile as he stood up too.

"Next time, I'm picking the movie," Luca said jabbing his chest with his thumb. Sebastian chuckled and shrugged.

"That's fine by me. Just try not to pick anything too boring." Lucius made a face as Sebastian smirked.

"Whatever man," Luca said giving his friend a fist bump. Sebastian walked Luca to the door as the two bantered back and forth. Luca went to open the door but paused. He stole a glance towards the stairs and looked over to Sebastian with worried eyes. "Are you sure Senia is okay?" Sebastian rolled his eyes but smiled nonetheless.

"Dude, I'm telling you she's fine. When I took her her food, she told me she wasn't feeling well. She's gonna sleep it off and she'll feel better tomorrow. If anything happens I'll be sure to fill you in. But for right now, she's sleeping." Luca nodded, taking a glance towards the stairs. "And we're still gonna have a bro day tomorrow, right?" Sebastian gave a toothy smile that was contagious as it soon found its way on Luca's face as well.

"Yeah bro, of course." The two shook hands and said their goodbyes. Sebastian watched Luca until he was out of the yard before he closed the door. He leaned against the door and took a deep breath. He was a bit worried about Senia, but he couldn't let Luca know something was wrong with her. She had never been sick before. Besides the illness she's had since birth of course. He decided that if she needed his help, she would come to him. They were closer now, right?

He went back to the living room and put on another movie. He was prepared to just spend the next few hours engrossed in some fictional world. A few hours after Luca left, he found his eyelids getting heavy. He stood up, stretching his muscles to get out some kinks and began heading upstairs. He was halfway up the stairs when he froze. There was a slight clinging sound. Like the jingle of keys. His eyes traveled to the door as the knob began shaking as well. The front door opened and a wide smile crossed Sebastian's face.

"Well well. I figured you would've been in bed by now, Seb."

"What? You trying to sneak in without me knowing?"

"Gotta get my ninja license somehow." Sebastian chuckled as he took slow steps down the steps towards the Inkling closing the door. The steps soon evolved into a sprint as the Inkling simply held open his arms. Sebastian practically knocked him over with a hug.

"Where have you been, bro?" Sebastian asked, nuzzling his head into the older Inkling's chest. The Inkling simply smiled and rubbed Sebastian's head.

"Work, buddy. You know that."

"Well how long will you be here?" Sebastian listened to the beating of his brother's heart, and the large inhale he took.

"Not even all night, buddy…I got more things to do…" Sebastian was silent as his brother simply stroked his head. "But hey, I come bringing gifts." He said, reaching into his jacket. "Where's your sister?"

"She's upstairs sleeping."

"Tell you what. How about I stay until you fall asleep? And we can go open your present." Sebastian smirked, finally releasing his brother and looking up at him.

"Well in that case I guess I just won't be sleeping tonight." His brother smirked at him and ruffled his tentacles.

"A lazy sack like you stay up all night? I'll pay to see something like that." Sebastian laughed as the two went to the living room. Sebastian popped in another movie and sat on the couch.

"So what did you get me?" Finally pulling his hand from his jacket, Sebastian's brother brought out a small rectangular object. He handed it to Sebastian who looked over it with confusion. It was some kind of leather square with a flap. He flipped it open and his eyes widened. It was a badge. A small metallic sheen reflected back at him. On it was the symbol of the Inkopolis PD. A squid and an octopus stood back to back with their tentacles intertwined in the middle.

"Of course it's not the real thing, but, one day." Sebastian barely registered the hand on his shoulder.

"But…dad…"

"Isn't gonna rule us forever. And…I'm sure things won't change _that_ much." Sebastian simply stared at the faux badge, slowly running his fingers over the metal. "You told me that when you grow up, you wanted to help people. To make the world better than it was for everyone. Who better to do that than a cop?" Sebastian remained silent and his brother let out a sigh. "I bought this to remind you, never to let go of your dreams. To hold on, and fight, to do whatever it takes to live, and make them a reality. Understand?"

"Well what about you?" Sebastian asked. His brother tilted his head, adjusting the hood he wore over it.

"What about me?"

"What about your dreams?…" He looked up to his brother, eyes shaking slightly and his brother smiled.

"My dream is to see you and Senia grow up big, strong, and happy." He emphasized the sentence by pulling Sebastian's head closer and kissing his forehead. "And you can bet your ass I'm fighting for that." Sebastian grew a wide smile, gripping the badge in his hand tighter.

"Thanks bro." Sebastian held his fist out and his brother bumped his against it. The two suddenly jumped as a woman screamed. Sebastian found himself behind a protective arm as his brother held a defensive hand in front of him. The TV faded from a stabbed Inkling to the movie's title card as the two siblings shared an embarrassed glance.

"How about we watch something funny?" Sebastian said with a smirk.

Senia was staring at her ceiling still deep in thought. Honestly she had given herself several headaches trying to decide what to do. On top of that, the worried sound in Sebastian's voice made her feel even worse. He knew she wasn't one to get sick, so her lie affected him more than she had predicted. She hadn't lied to him for any reason in so long that now it left a bad taste in her mouth.

In the morning she'll say she slept well and stop worrying so much over her and Luca's relationship. Better to dive in head first and hope to be caught, right? She sat up in her bed and tried to shake her head clear of any negative thoughts. She had effectively drowned out everything outside her mind and was now taking a deep breath to take it all in again. She reached over to her night stand and pressed a button on her clock.

[The time is now, 12:35 A.M.] Senia winced. She had spent much too long thinking about this. Then her ear twitched. There was a voice down stairs. One she hadn't heard in awhile. It was low, as if he was whispering. Senia stood and made her way downstairs, the voice becoming crystal clear to her as soon as she stepped outside of her room.

"Follow me and you might make it alive. Even though not many of us survive. Give me a hug, tell me it's alright. Whatever you do, just stay out of sight. Powerful eyes, watch all the time. Don't ever step in the light that they shine. I'll give you something for your appetite. I know at the end we'll bathe in sunshine."

"That's an odd choice for a lullaby." Senia said, causing her elder brother to look towards her. Sebastian was asleep with his head on his brother's shoulder, the movie's credits rolling on screen.

"It was a request. I thought you were asleep."

"And you didn't even come check on me. How shameful," Senia said with a smirk.

"Well you look fine to me," he replied with a mirrored smile.

"Well you look like shit," Senia laughed. Her brother responded by signing 'Ouch. Rude' in sign language. Senia walked up to her brother and wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him into a hug.

"I missed you," she whispered in his ear.

"I missed you too, sis," he whispered back as he rubbed her back. Senia withdrew and ran her hand down her brother's face, cupping his cheek.

"What happened?" Her brother sighed and placed his hand over hers.

"Standard work stuff. You know the drill." Senia narrowed her eyes and her brother chuckled. "It's all good, okay? I'm fine." Senia let out a disapproving sigh but her brother continued. "I got you a gift. Here." He reached into his jacket again and pulled out a medium sized box. He handed it to Senia and she ran her hand over it.

"What is this?"

"It's a little tablet. Voice controlled and already program with a recording and music editing app."

"W-what?"

"Yeah. I figured with your skills, you would want to make your own songs instead of singing others." Senia ran her hand over the box as a small smile graced her face.

"You're too thoughtful brother," Senia whispered.

"I want you and Sebastian to be happy. I think that involves pushing you to your best potential." Happy…Senia glanced over, seeing Sebastian still asleep with a large smile plastered on his face. This could be the best time to bring up Luke. She took a deep breath to calm her nerves. Maybe this would go well. Maybe this would be the first step towards being happy.

"Brother…"

"Yes?"

"So I've….met this boy…" The smile on the older Inkling's face faltered.

"Senia-"

"And, I really like him! And…I think he likes me. But I'm not sure…" Senia waited for her brother's reaction, gripping her gift in her hands and holding her head down. He took a deep breath and ran his hand over his face.

"And this kid makes you happy, huh? Is that what you're saying?" Senia recalled her date with Luca and the butterflies she felt ever since. She slowly nodded her head. "And you actually like him? You aren't doing this to-"

"No. I'm not trying to do that."

"Well…All I can say is…go get him sis." Senia grew a large smile and her brother smiled back. "If he truly makes you happy and this is what you want, who am I to keep you from him?" Senia hugged her brother again and had to keep from squealing. Getting his blessing was much easier than she thought.

"Thank you, brother! I thought you wouldn't approve." The two glanced to see if Sebastian was still asleep before chuckling.

"Well as long as you're happy it's my job as a guardian to support you. Just be sure you tell the guy that if he hurts you no one on this planet can protect him from me." Senia giggled.

"I'll be sure to spread the message. So how long will you be staying this time?"

"Not even the whole night. I'll be leaving soon." Senia's smile shrunk a bit as she sat down on the opposite side of Sebastian, setting her gift on the table. She kissed her brother on his cheek and cuddled into his side.

"Well good night. I love you." Her eldest brother smiled and wrapped an arm around Sebastian and the other around her.

"I love you too, sis."

* * *

 **And another chapter bites the dust. It was a relatively calm chapter with I believe more explanation than anything. Cereza continues to have positive vibes surround her and Senia is doing some deep thinking. Lucius and Dao had an all out fight for...some reason.**

 **If all goes to plan next chapter won't have a lot of action but a bit of drama more than anything. I hope you all are looking forward to that.**

 **Unfortunately, next chapter may be a bit of a longer wait. I'm going to try to balance out my workload and juggle several stories. I'm gonna continue Buu to You and bring that out of hiatus hell, as well as start a new Kid Icarus story. Keep an eye peeled for those if you're interesting.**

 **This of course won't be the end of evo. Just trying to spread out the contents for a breath of fresh air, ya know?**

 **Anyway, thank you for reading and a special thanks to all those who review. Until next time,**

 **Astalabyebye,**

 **Bang**


	13. Something You'll Regret

Sebastian shifted slightly in his sleep. A smile was plastered on his face as usual as he gripped the faux badge in his hand. He rolled over and his arm began dangling over the side. Still half asleep, he moved to slide deeper into his bed. He found himself halted as his back pressed against something. He shifted a bit more to look over his shoulder to see the back of the couch.

He sat up, removing the blanket draped over him and looked around. He was still laying in the living room. Sun shined in from the windows and everything was put away neatly. He scratched his head as he tried to remember why he hadn't gone to bed last night. He brought the item in his hand up to his face and a smile spread as the memory of last night returned.

"Heh. Guess I fell asleep after all," he whispered. He squeezed the badge before placing it in his pocket. He threw his legs over the couch and stood up. He let out a groan as he stretched.

"So you're finally awake, huh?" Sebastian looked over to see Senia standing against the doorway. She had on a simple t-shirt and shorts as she smirked at him. "Well hi there you lazy cod." Sebastian chuckled.

"Hey. Good morning sis. How are you doing?"

"I wish I slept as well as you. You were the epitome of tranquil last night." Sebastian scratched the back of his head.

"Yeah. Having big bro around calms the nerves, ya know? Gives me that feeling that everything's going to be okay."

"I bet," Senia said with a smirk. She pushed herself off the doorway and turned back the way she came. "Well, you should get ready. If you hurry you'll catch the 12 o'clock train." Sebastian's eyes widened as he frantically patted his pockets. He pulled out his phone and stared at the screen with wide eyes. The device read 11:17. Senia chuckled as the word 'crap' bounced around with the clattering of items as Sebastian stumbled about.

"So predictable," she smiled.

* * *

Inkay and the Squid Sisters were back in their agent outfits. They sat quietly next to their sleeping chambers as they waited for the jet to be prepared. 1 clearly was not looking forward to the ride back but she had kept her opinion on the matter to herself.

The three had explained their plans for their return to Inkopolis the night before, and were anxious to get started. Inkay wanted to of course check in on his family while The Squid Sisters wanted to look back in on the mask that Lucius dropped when he fought Cerata. Their silence was interrupted as Steph made his way towards them.

"Good morning," he announced. "Isn't it a great day to be _hurled through the air_ thirty-five thousand feet above the ground with nothing but a thin hunk of aluminum between you, and a _ten-minute screaming drop_ to an abrupt stop?" Agent 1 would've hit the ground if her cousin hadn't caught her in time.

"What's your problem?!" Agent 2 growled trying to snap Agent 1 out of her daze.

"What? Just came to say I wish you luck on your flight." Steph smiled behind his mask.

"If you're just here to be an ass you can leave." Agent 2 spat as she gently shook her cousin. Steph looked over the trio in silence for a moment.

"I would like a quick checkup before you go. Nothing too in depth, just some standard stuf. Any unease, queasiness, or anything of the sort? Weak knees, still vomiting, etc.?" 2 and 3 looked between each other before 3 leaned forward.

"I'm feeling fine. No nausea or anything. Kind of hungry but not much else."

"That may just be because you haven't had breakfast yet," Steph said scribbling on a notepad. "And you, Agent 2?"

"Still a bit sick to my stomach. And I have this growing headache. But that may be just you." Steph chuckled but scribbled something down.

"Noted. Now that that's done, I wish you all a safe trip home. If you ever need a hand, I will happily lend one. Until next time. And, do tell me how the weapon holds up," he whispered. He closed his notepad and bowed before taking his leave. The agents watched his retreating figure and let out a groan. A few silent moments later with Agent 2 still fanning Agent 1, they were approached by an Octarian soldier.

"Excuse me. Your jet is ready for take off whenever you're prepared to leave."

"Thank you for telling us," Agent 2 said with a nod. The Octarian returned it and wandered off elsewhere.

"Well, let's head back. Better to get 1 on the jet now before she wakes up," 3 said smirking. 2 looked down over her cousin and chuckled.

"Heh. After that comment that's probably the best idea."

* * *

Luca sat idly on a bench a bit away from the edges of Inkopolis. He had been told to meet Sebastian here about half an hour ago. Knowing the very smiley Inkling, he probably over slept. The lazy douche. Luca watched people walking around the strip of shops and diners and figured it was time to call Sebastian. He pulled out his phone and began typing the number in.

"Sorry to keep you waiting," Sebastian said right as Luca was about to press the call button. Luca looked up to see Sebastian smiling down on him. He had his hands in the pockets of his signature blue hoodie and wore a pair of dark blue jeans with a small Inkling keychain dangling from his waist.

"Let me guess. You overslept, didn't you?" Luca stood up with a knowing smirk on his face. Sebastian's smile faltered for a split second before returning with a small bit of coloring in his cheeks. He shrugged and avoided eye contact.

"Heheh. Read like a book, huh? Sorry about that. My big bro made a surprise appearance and we stayed up late to hang out a bit," Sebastian explained. "It's been awhile since I've seen him, ya know?" Luca actually didn't know. He had never gone more than a few days without seeing Cereza. As much as he complains about her coddling him when they're in public he honestly couldn't think of not seeing her long periods at a time. He simply rolled his eyes with a smile.

"It's cool, dude. I'm only messing," Luca said giving Sebastian a soft punch to the shoulder. Sebastian chuckled and rubbed the spot he was hit. "Well what's the first thing on the agenda?"

"Well, I thought we'd start off hitting the arcade, but maybe it would be a better idea to grab something to eat first. What do you think?"

"I think you also skipped out on breakfast because you woke up late." Luca gave a bigger knowing smile and Sebastian recoiled. His face colored more and he nervously scratched his head.

"Boy. You sure like to read, huh?" Luca laughed and turned away. He began to walk away from the area and Sebastian took a few long strides to catch up. .

"Yeah, let's get something to eat. You got anything special in mind?" Luca asked. Sebastian tilted his head back and brought a hand to his chin in thought.

"Hmmm…You know, I think I know of one place we should go."

* * *

"Come on, come on, come on, come on…" Cereza chanted to herself watching as Judd and Lil' Judd looked over the stage of the latest Turf War. After a little dance and a shimmy, she and Em cheered as their score ended up being 47.8% covered to their opponents' 47.7%. "That was so close!" Cereza cheered.

"It was you getting that last splat on that Dynamo guy! And they say size matters," Em chuckled. Cereza laughed with her friend and waved their two partners for that match off.

"I wouldn't have been able to if you hadn't distracted him for that split second," Cereza smiled at her friend as she pulled her into a side hug.

"Girl, you know I got your back! Friends til the end and all that." Cereza gave an even brighter smile as the two exited the Turf War lobby. "But you've been doing well even without my help. You've been MVP in all our matches today!" Em praised the hybrid and caused her face to color.

"That's only because Wakame's taking an extra shift at work and he's not here to carry the team," Cereza said. Em tightened her grip on the hybrid and softly pinched her armm causing her to let out a small yelp in surprise.

"Nonsense. Don't give that ass all the credit. You were doing great today! Like a one-woman army!"

"Thanks, Em. I just…feel so light today, ya know? Everything's been going so well." Cereza broke away from Em to gesture around her with a content smile on her face. "There were those talks with mom and Mr. Apalo, I get to help Annie set up that Cooler Heads add-on she's been working on, and I thought that Luca would've fallen into a depression after what happened to Eden, but he has his own little group keeping him happy," Cereza listed practically twirling on her feet. "I mean, I feel a little bad for being so happy about an entire city being blown away, but everything around me just feels so bright right now."

"And does a certain Octoling boy have anything to do with it?" Em smirked. Cereza withdrew a bit and blushed, turning her gaze to the ground.

"Maybe." Em let out a loud laugh before linking her arm with Cereza's.

"Listen, you shouldn't feel bad about things out of your control. And after all you've been through growing up, you deserve a bit of happiness. So let's milk it for all its worth! Whatchu wanna eat? Lunch on me today." Cereza looked at her roommate with a somewhat quizzical look on her face.

"Maybe something little? I'm fine with picking up something from McSquiddles-"

"Oh no! Something good and fancy! An actual meal. We're celebrating how things are looking up!" Cereza's quizzical expression turned into a confused one.

"But that's really unnecessary…I mean, it's just a bit of good tidings."

"If it's been raining all week, the first sunny day needs to be enjoyed! Come on! If you won't pick one, then I know just the place!" Before Cereza could object, Em had begun dragging her forward laughing the entire way. It wasn't long before Cereza began laughing too.

* * *

"What did you say these things were called?"

"Gyros." Luca looked over the…cone? It was sorta like a cone…of meat and veggies in his hand. It smelled good enough and Sebastian had already taken a big chomp out of his. "You'll never figure out how it tastes unless you take a bite out of it." Sebastian teased as he waved a french fry mockingly at the hybrid. Luca looked the item over once more before doing as suggested. Sebastian watched intently as Luca struggled to fit a reasonable section in his mouth and bit off a piece. He waited in anticipation to Luca's reaction.

"I mean it tastes good, but I think I chose the wrong sauce for it," Luca said after swallowing. Sebastian shrugged and leaned back in his seat, taking another bite out of his.

"Fair enough. The default sauce is an acquired taste to be honest. You could swap it out for barbeque sauce or something if you prefer that."

"Maybe next time," Luca said before taking another bite. "The sauce isn't that bad, but I feel like it just doesn't go together well in my mouth with the rest."

"To each their own." Sebastian took a large swig from his root beer before turning towards Luca with a smile. "So have you been to any arcades around here?" he asked.

"Nah. I usually just play my consoles at home. Never really saw a point in going."

"There's plenty a point. There's one that's been around since before the internet and has a bunch of classic games. Like the original Super Squido Bros, Squid Jump, and Shrimp Fighter. Then there's another one that has a bunch of new titles like Dance Dance Revolution X, Octo's Duty, and Fix-It Feline, which I hear was inspired and made my Judd and Lil' Judd."

"That does sound pretty interesting now that you mention it. I kinda wanna see it."

"Yeah. The bad guy's supposed to be named "Wreck-It Ruff" or something. He's supposed to be a dog."

"A dogfish?"

"No. Just a dog. I remember that there was a Splatfest with Dogs Vs. Cats before our time, but I'm not entirely sure what a dog is."

"We'll have to ask Judd at some point," Luca said.

"So are we gonna go and check it out?" Sebastian said taking another giant bite of his food. Luca smirked and raised an eyebrow.

"We can if you don't make a mess of yourself," Luca joked as Sebastian tilted his head. He glanced down and saw his gyro had begun dripping sauce over his plate. The Inkling chuckled and wiped his mouth to make sure it wasn't the same way as his cutlery.

"What can I say? I have style, AND grace." The two shared a laugh as Luca made sure that his was not leaking. "So, arcade after this?"

"Sounds like a plan to me." The two sank into a comfortable silence as they ate their food. The entire time Sebastian had a content smile on his face. Luca couldn't help but think about why he smiled so much. Cereza had mentioned that people who smile the brightest had the darkest past. He could see that a little in his sister, and if what Senia told him was true it would make sense why he smiled so much. He had been through a lot and most likely uses it as a way to cope. Luca couldn't help but wonder if that smile would still be there if Sebastian new about his relationship with Senia.

Would he even be hanging out with him if he knew? Sebastian was cool about pretty much everything. The only time he seemed to be even slightly confrontational was when he walked in on Senia almost kissing him. But that seemed like so long ago. Even then he seemed only mildly irked if anything.

He did seem like he was okay with the idea of him dating Senia when he first saw her. Maybe he was just teasing back then. Senia wanted to keep their relationship a secret, so clearly she believed one of her brothers would find a problem with her dating someone. Sebastian seemed laid back enough where he wouldn't care about anything. But if he did object, would he try to keep them from dating? That would be pretty awkward.

They were both extremely important friends to him. If Sebastian didn't approve, their hangouts would probably become really awkward as Sebastian would watch to make sure they weren't planning anything. If they argued, Luca truly didn't know what side he would take. He'd feel bad leaving either of them behind and he could just hope that it wouldn't come to that.

He was dragged from his thoughts as something hit him in his head. He jerked and looked around for the culprit. The culprit turned out to be a penny sitting just to the side of his plate. He looked up with a confused look on his face as Sebastian smirked knowingly.

"Penny for your thoughts?" He chuckled. Luca couldn't help but roll his eyes and chuckle along with him. He picked up the penny and threw it back at Sebastian, the Inkling dodging it easily.

"Just how I'm gonna kick your butt at the arcade."

"Well, since you threw me a penny, for my thoughts," Sebastian said returning the coin to his pocket and giving Luca a cocky smile. "I'm thinking of how that's not gonna happen."

* * *

By the time Callie woke up, the agents were preparing to land back in Inkopolis, much to the relief of the acrophobic Inkling.

"Honestly I'm surprised you're not still unconscious," Marie said with a teasing smirk to her cousin.

"Just get me off of this thing already," Callie groaned. Once they were back on the ground, Callie bolted out of the jet. Marie and Inkay chuckled as they took a more calm, and in Marie's opinion dignified, exit. Callie waited for the two to catch up to her and the two were happy to see color returning to her face. "So, what's the game plan now?" she said with a semblance of a smile.

"I'm gonna head home and check on Cerata and Luke. Maybe talk to Apalo about where the gauntlets are…" Callie and Marie gave a soft glance towards each other. Inkay's voice had a hint of suspicion along with a touch of anger. Neither wanted to point that out to the Inkling.

"Well, give your family our condolences. Callie and I have work to do," Marie said leading the group towards the door.

"What? I thought we were going to take a break!" Callie groaned losing her smile.

"As much as I want nothing more than to take a break, we need to check out that mask Cerata confiscated from Lucius. It seemed important and if it has secrets about whoever he's working with the sooner we find them the better," Marie explained. Callie pouted and crossed her arms but did not say more.

"Well alright then. I'll check in on my family and Apalo while you guys investigate the mask. We'll meet up later." Callie and Marie nodded as the group split up. Inkay was ecstatic to see his family again. Even though it had only been a couple of days, it felt like it had been a long time. He wasn't looking forward to explaining what happened to Cerata though. He had gotten into enough trouble already and a married man could only take so many 'I told you so's before he'd keel over. But before dealing with that, he'd stop by Apalo's.

The mentioned Octoling sat at the desk in his office. Two completely unrelated papers in front of him as he scanned the information on each. One was discussing a higher security measure, especially around ways in and out of the city. The bridges were a major option for this. As dangerous as it was to attempt to traverse the bottom of the bridge, it could be a potential transfer route. The other were requesting funding for more surveillance cameras. Again, a decent idea, but the public were already riled up. Knowing they're being observed even more could make half of the city calm down while the other half rioted. Decisions decisions.

"Why don't you just give up?" Apalo growled at the foreign voice, not tearing his eyes away from the papers. "You'll fail at this like you failed at everything else."

"I haven't failed. Everything has been going as planned."

"Everything has been derailed for the longest. You're just trying to clean up the steaming pile of wreckage." Apalo didn't say anything. "What? No shouting? No snapping rebuttal?"

"Neither of those things are necessary. Because you're not real."

"I'm as real as you make me," the owner of the voice said stepping up and wrapping a tentacle around Apalo's shoulder. "And you're making me pretty real by responding." Apalo grunted in frustration and slammed the papers on his desk.

"Leave me be, alright. You're dead…and I killed you…"

"Then maybe this is your punishment. Every action of your traitorous life having their flaws brought to your attention by your superior. Such a bottom bitch you are."

"Shut up, Octavio," Apalo growled. Octavio chuckled at the other Octoling's expense.

"You've been telling me that for years. Yet I'm still here. Still talking. Still telling you just how badly you fucked up the Octarian empire! We were almost there! And you let your oh so precious _research_ get in the way of that!"

"The Octarian empire was a joke. Anything lead by you was a joke. You're a joke," Apalo whispered. He wanted to yell, but he didn't want someone to walk in on him screaming to an empty room. He was hunched over his desk. The image of Octavio leaned over so his eyes locked eyes with Apalo.

"You're the joke! You've been 'building up' since you began leading this accursed city, and yet your hard work has gone to ruin and its only a matter of time before it caves in all around you!"

"It's going fine. The city is doing great, minus a few hiccups. All of which I can handle."

"Hmph. Well here comes another hiccup." At the end of the sentence, the door to his office was knocked on. He jumped at the sound and went wide eyed. Did that annoying vision predict the arrival? No, he probably just didn't notice the first knock. He calmed down, cleared his throat, and sat back in his seat.

"Come in." The door opened and Inkay stepped into the room. "Ah. Agent 3. I've received the digital report about your travels. I haven't been able to look over it but I'll be on that as soon as possible. Though I did not expect to even receive a report. Especially not a battle one." He said as Inkay stepped closer to his desk.

"That's nice, but I'm here to talk of the gauntlets. While we were in Squidville, we ran into Agent 241. He said that he had delivered the gauntlets to you a 'couple of days' ago. So I'm curious why they didn't get to me before we went to Squidville. Or at the very least, if the Inkling making them was gonna be there, why he didn't hand them off." Apalo was quiet as he and Inkay stared blankly at each other. Apalo let the silence linger for a few more seconds before cracking a smile.

"Seph and I had a complicated method of getting in touch and an even more complicated drop off locale. Never being tied to the same place near the same time. While it's true that I had possession of the items before hand, your journey to Squidville was supposed to be recon only. If I had known you would have actually run into any problems, I would've tried to find a way to sneak them to you before your departure."

"Why couldn't you give them to me anyway?" Inkay said, an accusatory edge in his voice. Apalo saw it in his eyes. The Inkling thought he was set up to fail. That Apalo was purposely holding out to put him at a disadvantage. To be completely honest he still didn't trust the Octoling. The only reason he put up with him this long was Cerata's respect for him. He wouldn't put the elder past such underhanded methods.

"After the war and the knowledge of Octameri's weapons of choice, seeing the city's hero walking around with said item, especially with it being illegal, would raise suspicion. People would ask questions better left unanswered. The only ones knowledgeable about the gauntlets even existing are you, Agents 1 and 2, the Inkling who made them, myself, and your wife. If other agents found out the news would spread like wildfire. Things would get more hectic than they already are. Can't risk the public finding out."

"Well where are they now?"

"They've been delivered to Cerata. They should be under her watch as we speak."Inkay didn't believe the Octoling. He stared into his eyes to see if he could find any trace of treachery or lies hidden somewhere inside. All he saw was the usual piercing red he had been seeing for years now. "I assure you, I only have the best interest of the city, and your family in mind."

"Of course…Nerves from all this. I should've known to trust you," Inkay lied. Apalo's smile grew just a little bit bigger.

"Is there anything else you wish to tell me?" Inkay shifted slightly, making extra sure that not even a glimpse of the Ink Blade would be seen.

"Nothing you won't find out in the report," he said. Apalo nodded and let out a relieved sigh.

"That's good. I don't know how much more my old heart can take," he said giving the Inkling a bright smile. Inkay returned one of his own and began making his way back to the door.

"Yeah, me neither."

* * *

"Why are you so good at things?!" Luca screamed over the buzzing and clicks of various arcade machines. He almost tripped over his own feet trying to keep up with both Sebastian's movements and the directions on his side of the screen.

"Uh nun know," Sebastian muttered out with a shrug and a cocky grin. His hands were placed lazily in his pockets as his legs were a blur on the dance machine. Luca didn't think he had missed one input and he was playing on the hardest difficulty! And here he was barely scrapping by on hard. When the game ended and the music stopped, their scores flashed on screen. Luca had scraped by with a 'B-' while a bright gold 'S' sat on Sebastian's screen along with winner. Luca shot a huff at Sebastian who merely stood there panting heavily.

"If we go again I bet I'll win!"

"Me too. I'll probably faint half way through the song." The two laughed and stepped off the dance machine to head to another game.

"We only did one song! You're way out of shape, man." Luca said heading over to a racing game that caught his eye.

"I'll have you know, not only am I my target weight, but it's smack dab in the middle of the healthy weight for squids my age." Sebastian said matter-of-factly.

"Why do you run out of breath so easily then? Do you have asthma?" Sebastian shrugged and took a seat at the racing game. The two put in their share of coins before selecting their choice of motorcycle.

"Guess I was just made wrong. I've always gotten tired easily. Must be that defect I've mentioned but…whatever. Just gives me an excuse to be lazy." He turned towards Luca with his cocky grin back on his face. "Also gives me time to get good at all kinds of games. Like this one for instance."

"Oh? So you think you're gonna win?" Luca said sending his own challenging smile. The screen started the count down for the race to begin.

"Let's find out."

* * *

Marie groaned in frustration. The wall of code in front of her was nothing but impossible to breach. She eyed the cord linking the computer to the mask that sat on its own little pedestal. The pedestal was to make sure the cords didn't get tangled and have it easily accessible. But all she saw in the pedestal was the mask looking down on her.

She had been ecstatic to see there was a place to connect the mask to her computer. She was sure she'd be able to hack in and find some valuable information. Instead she had made no progress as the firewalls in the thing kept her out.

She had tried everything. Every time she thought she had made progress, it seemed to kick her back to the beginning. Callie sat studying the mask in its stand with the same look of confusion and frustration on her face. The only sound in the room came from the clicking of Marie's keyboard until Callie spoke up.

"From what I can see there is no way that its see through. The entirety of the outside is simply a blank slate. There's a camera that sees for it and uploads it in real time to a screen on the inside."

"Why though? That seems like a lot of work just to see what's in front of you. Maybe if I could just get into the system then I could see if it storied video of everywhere that Lucius guy went. Maybe find out where their lair is or who's behind all this," Marie said furiously typing again.

"I still think I should just put it on."

"No."

"Come ooooon! We've made no progress all day. Clearly there's data in the thing that we need. We've tried the hard way, let's try the easy way. 'To catch a criminal, you have to think like a criminal'."

"I don't think that saying really applies to this situation though, Callie," Marie said glancing up at at her cousin. Callie simply grew a wide smile.

"There's clearly something important in this thing. We need to get into it and if he could access it by wearing it, then maybe the only way to get to the files is to wear the thing." The cousins locked eyes. Callie's were bright and shining in anticipation while Marie's were narrowed and darkened to stand her ground. Eventually Marie's facade broke and she let out a sigh.

"Fine," she groaned. Callie cheered and gently picked up the mask and unplugged it from the computer cord. "Just don't get brainwashed again. It was hard enough getting involved when that Octavio impersonator tricked you into wearing those goggles. Multiple times I might add." Callie chuckled and slowly edged the mask over her face. It was dark. She couldn't see anything from within the mask and she comically rotated her arms.

"I can't see anything! There's no eyeholes in this thing!" she groaned and ran her hands over the outside of the mask.

"That doesn't make any sense. I'm sure to kick Agent 3 and 4's ass the way he did he had to have seen them." Marie leaned back in her chair and brought her hand to her mouth in thought. She watched Callie run her hand up and down the mask until she paused.

"Wait! There feels like there's a button here!" she said with her voice brimming with excitement.

"Well? You gonna punch it?" Marie asked with a smirk.

"If I could I'd stick my tongue out at you." Callie said playfully as she pressed the button. The inside of the mask lit up. From top to bottom it flashed from red, to blue, to yellow, before all colors mixed to have a screen of Marie looking up with her with questioning eyes.

"Well?" the green clad Inkling asked.

"It's amazing! It's like I'm not even wearing anything!" The mask then flashed again Callie's smile faltered a bit. Sitting before her was no longer her cousin. Instead it was a vaguely Inkling-shaped mass of white Ink. The mask saw through her and displayed the ink coursing through her body. As she stared at the blob, white lines scanned over it for a few seconds before a tiny picture box appeared beside it.

"Marie…"

"Yes?"

"This thing…has information on you…"

"What?"

"Just looking at you, it tells me who you are, current ink color, ink flow, even your age." Callie couldn't see it at the moment but Marie frowned. Callie turned her head and Marie could hear her gasp softly. "I can see everyone in the building…"

"How?"

"Well, I can see…the ink in their bodies…and when I look at them long enough I can get their 369and 117 are in the coffee room, and 302 is talking to 99 in her office. " Callie looked back at Marie. "Once I have their information, if I'm not looking directly at them, then it shows me which way I have to turn to put them in might sights. This is…this is a lot of information coming at me, honestly…"

"I really think you should take that thing off, Callie…"

"Y-yeah…you're probably right…" Callie reached up to removed the mask. As she pulled it forward she winced. "Ow!" she cried as the edges of the mask sank into her head. Marie jumped to her feet, worry instantly apparent on her face.

"Callie? Callie what's wrong." Callie was still and silent for a moment.

"Marie…it says I tried to remove it improperly….it's starting a retina scan…"

"Shit…shit! Take it off!" Marie screamed. Callie whimpered as she dug her fingers as tightly as she could to the side of the mask and pulled.

"I'm trying! I'm trying, but it won't come off!" Callie cried, her voice obviously very distressed. Marie gripped the mask from a different spot and pulled along with her cousin. "Ow! Ow ow ow ow!"

"Just deal with it! This thing has to come off!" Marie said. She looked down to see Callie had gone stock still. "Callie? Callie what's wrong?"

"It says I failed the retina scan…there's a count down…"

"WHAT?!"

"COUNTDOWN! THERE'S A COUNTDOWN, MARIE!" Callie fell to her knees as she and her sister tried desperately pull the thing off.

"How long, Callie?"

"15 seconds," Callie was clearly on the verge of tears. Her voice shook and her hands trembled against the edges of the mask.

"Fuck! Pull Callie, pull!" Marie screamed looking around for something, anything in the immediate area that could help. The only things handy was a computer and their agent clothes. "Shit, I'm gonna get this off you Callie, okay? Everything's going to be fine," Marie said to herself.

"Ten seconds, Marie!" Callie was clearly crying behind the mask. Just the sound of her breaking voice caused tears to start blurring Marie's eyes too. Thoughts of the worse filled both Inklings' heads. This wasn't how it was supposed to go down. They were out of danger. Safe in the agent base basically doing the equivalent of a desk job. So how? Why? "Five seconds!" The sides of Callie's face just short of the mask were covered in scratch mark from the combined efforts of the Inklings to get beneath the mask.

"I'm trying, Callie! I'm trying so hard!" Marie said through her tears and grunts of effort. "Callie!"

"Marrriiiiieeee!"

The silent base was shaken by a boom.

* * *

The sun was beginning to descend towards the horizon. The warm colors of the evening skies were beginning to replace the cool afternoon ones. Sebastian and Luca sat on a small hill in the park, watching the sun barely peak over the distant skyscrapers. They had settled into a rare silence between the two. No jokes, or laughter, or cracks at the others expense. Just a calm relaxing moment. The winds shifted the trees and ruffled the leaves around them. The silence being broken by Sebastian's chuckle.

"What do you think came first?" Luca looked over to Sebastian confused. The Inkling just stared forward with that same smile he always wore.

"Do I think what came first?" Luca asked. Sebastian's smile widened as he gestured in front of him.

"The name or the buildings?" Luca tilted his head.

"I still don't get what you're asking."

"Skyscrapers. Do you think that they built them and then named them that, or did they come up with the name and built on that?" Luca shrugged and resumed his reclined position.

"I never thought of that. I would think they made blueprints. I don't know, maybe they had like a prototype or something planned and someone saw it and thought 'hey! That thing looks like its scraping the sky!' and just went on like that," Luca said. Sebastian smiled and put his hands back behind his head.

"I like that idea. That they let the name settle based on what it turned out to be."

"I mean, don't most things get named that way? You can't really name something until you know what it is." Sebastian shrugged.

"People pick out baby names before the baby's born."

"Well, I guess, but they wait until they know what the gender is at least. It's not like they have names pre-planned."

"Some do. Before the baby's even born they think of names in case it's a boy and in case it's a girl." Luca didn't have any rebuttal for that. Instead of arguing he decided to look for an explanation.

"What made you think about this that way? Do you think it matters?" Sebastian shrugged again.

"It's just…naming something before seeing the outcome is like putting expectations on it before it can do anything. Right from the get go it has to live up to what's been given to it. If the name is given after, then the name represents the first impression. Something was seen within and a name was given to reflect that." Luca stared at Sebastian, who clearly had put thought into this before, in silence. The Inkling boy then added, "or something like that." Luca watched as Sebastian still didn't make a attempt to turn towards him. He laid there watching the sky with his smile on his face.

"Were you named before or after you were born?" Luca asked. It was weird. Sebastian made no outside movements. His face didn't move a fraction of an inch, and yet, the smile he was giving off was different. It was duller, and filled with less life.

"I don't know. Never bothered to ask. What about you?" Luca turned back to look at the sky, figuring his friend wouldn't delve deeper on the question.

"I was named after. Dad said that mom took one look at my tentacles and knew exactly what she wanted to name me." Luca said. Sebastian closed his eyes and gave a slight nod.

"I hope you live up to your name's expectation, buddy."

"Thanks?" The two stared at the skyline that the sun was now nearly completely behind. "So you got that question just from looking at skyscrapers?"

"Yep. Gotta use what's around you." Another small silence. "Speaking of around," Sebastian said sitting up. "I heard that your friend was in Squidville when it…you know." Luca took a deep breath. Sebastian's shoulders slumped a bit at the sight of it. Sebastian turned towards Luca and placed a hand on his shoulder. "We don't have to talk about it if you don't wanna, but are you okay?" Sebastian asked. Luca looked over to his friend to see worried eyes and a soft smile. He couldn't help but think of his sister. The face Sebastian was giving was just like hers that Luca read as 'I'm hurting too but your pain comes first'. He nodded to his friend and returned a smile of his own.

"Yeah. I'm fine. My sister already comforted me about it."

"You two are extremely close, huh?" Sebastian lit up and dimmed at the same time. It was hard for Luca to explain. Like he was excited and disappointed simultaneous.

"We are. For a long time we felt like all we had was each other. We share our problems and help with the other's. Sure she gets embarassingly clingy in public, but I love her and I know I can trust her to have my back." Sebastian leaned back to his reclined position, that solemn smile still on his face.

"Must be nice." Luca looked at his friend. A small concerned frown on his face.

"You say that a lot."

"Hm? Say what?"

"'Must be nice.' Now that I think about it, Senia says it a lot too," Luca said. Sebastian shrugged and tilted his head ever so slightly away from Luca.

"Maybe it's just a family saying."

"That's just the thing. You both only say it when I mention relationships with my family. Like you want to be a family too but…just haven't…" Sebastian was silent and Luca turned fully towards his friend. "Sebastian…what was your family like? When you were all together that is."

"Not a family," Sebastian said in a heartbeat. "Honestly I felt more like a tool there than anything. A broken one at that…"

"Is that something your dad told you?" Luca said. Sebastian looked at the hybrid boy and stared silently at him.

"What do you know about my dad?" Sebastian said. For the first time Sebastian's voice sounded…hollow. There was none of the usual pep there, yet at the same time there was no sadness, or regret, or anything negative. It was just a response.

"I know what Senia told me."

"And what did she tell you?" The question was immediate. Like Luca had been caught holding something he wasn't suppose to own. Honestly it made him recoil. He rooted himself and spoke again.

"She told me you weren't expected to live past a year old. So your dad was ready to just abandon you." Sebastian's shoulders slumped. He returned his eyes to the skyscrapers and sighed.

"It's rough. Growing up on your own…I did everything I could to maybe…" Sebastian let out another defeated sigh. "Always a screw up…I can't even die properly…"

"Don't say that!" Luca shouted. Sebastian jumped at the sudden energy coming from the hybrid. "Being strong enough to defy death is a blessing! If you weren't supposed to live beyond a year old and you did, then you're a…a miracle baby!" Luca said using a phrase he typically heard about his sister and him. A light blue blush crossed his face as his smile regained its luster.

"Come on…I'm nothing that special. I just got lucky…that's all."

"And it's a good thing too. Otherwise you wouldn't have met me!" Luca said lightly jabbing Sebastian's shoulder. The Inkling chuckled and rubbed his forehead.

"Its just…when all you have for so long is the thoughts on how much of a screw up you are, it's kinda hard to break that thought process." Sebastian had broken eye contact again and stared at the grass. He watched the blades bend and yield to his fingers as he ran his hand over it.

"You had your brother right? And Senia?" Sebastian didn't say anything, turning ever so slightly away from Luca and started pulling grass from the ground one at a time.

"I didn't even know either of them existed…until big bro had had enough. He didn't want anything else to do with dad so he broke off from him. I just so happened to be in his escape path so he grabbed us and we took off."

"Well how old were you when he took you guys?"

".…..thirteen." The number felt like someone had slapped Luca. Thirteen years alone, without a single kind word offered? Luca didn't think he could do it. Yet here Sebastian was sitting here at least somewhat okay. The Inkling let out a dry laugh and looked at Luca. "Damn you, man. Being so easy to talk to. No wonder Senia blabs so much. You make it flow out."

"You know you can always talk to me, Seb. I'm your friend. And I worry about you…" Sebastian visibly flinched, raising his arm up to wipe his eyes.

"Dangit man…you're still doing it. Cut it out." Luca placed his hand on Sebastian's shoulder again and gave it a reassuring squeeze, trying to do it in the supportive way his dad always would do to him when he was feeling discouraged.

"I want you to feel you can talk to me when you need to. I don't make a lot of friends and the ones I do are important to me. Besides, my sister and I agree that talking out these things is better than bottling them up." Sebastian shook his head and returned his sights to the grass.

"Nah, I got nothing to talk about. It's all fine, really."

"It's not fine, Seb. You bottling it up is only gonna hurt you. At least talk to me a little bit." Sebastian was leaning further away from Luca. Now the top of his head was all Luca could see. He shifted so that Luca's hand was no longer on his shoulder.

"I don't know what you want me to say man. That I'm…"

"That you're what?"

"...Nothing. It's nothing."

"It's something. And it's something you wanna tell me. I know the feeling. You want to call out for help but you're afraid of what'll happen if you do. I've had that fear a bit myself and my sister had it bad. But we help each other through it. Pick each other up and such. Please, Sebastian, let me help you. You just have to trust me." Sebastian was all but enclosed in on himself. If he leaned in any further he'd be sitting in fetal position. When he spoke, his voice was shaky.

"Trust you…Trust you with the fact that I'm…I'm…" Luca looked at the near shaking form of his friend and felt the same kind of pang of hurt whenever he walked in on his sister crying.

"That you're what?" Luca reached forward and tried to place his hand on top of Sebastian's. It was an effective method in calmly Cereza down. Sebastian on the other hand latched on to the limb with his other hand as soon as Luca made contact. Sebastian looked up, tears threatening to spill as he wore a broken smile. It struggled to stay up but it was there and Luca began to wonder if he could do anything other than smile.

"That I'm afraid! That I'm afraid of dad coming back! That I'm afraid something'll happen to big bro or sis like it did with…." Sebastian shut his eyes tight, tears spilling out and sliding down his cheeks as he forced his eyes back open to look at Luca. "I'm afraid that I'll be alone again. I'm afraid I'll have to go back to him just to survive. Every night, I go to bed fearing that all this is a dream, and when I wake up I'll be back _there_. And all I'll see are black walls and wa-…wa…" Sebastian's words devolved into a cry. Luca couldn't help but pull his friend into a hug. The older Inkling cried and sobbed into Luca's shirt and the hybrid simply rubbed his back.

"Let it out. It's okay. Nobody's here but us."

"You have no idea how happy I am to have met you, Luca. You're such a nice person that I'm so glad you're my friend. Somehow, you've even improved Senia and my relationship."

"Did you guys…not get along?"

"We didn't live together…we coexisted. You know, big bro only took me with because I stumbled upon them sneaking out. I was a last minute tag along that he brought with so he wouldn't feel bad about it later. So I always avoided them so I wouldn't be a burden."

"You don't mean that. You talk so highly of your brother. Why do you think he wouldn't care about you."

"Cause I'm me."

"And what's wrong with that?"

"Being me can only mean feeling scared to breathe." Sebastian looked up at Luca, eyes still wet with tears and his smile still somehow peaking through. "And if you leave me then I'll be afraid of everything. It makes me anxious…but when you finally have something after having nothing for so long…you wanna keep it as long as possible." Sebastian looked away and started to put a bit of distance between the two. Luca held him in place and spoke in his most comforting voice.

"I'm you're friend, Seb. You're my best friend. I'm not going anywhere and I'm not gonna let you stew in these thoughts any more. Your dad's not gonna get his hands on you and you're not gonna be alone again. Not while I'm around."

"Luke…" Fresh tears trailed down Sebastian's face and a lively smile spread over him at the words. Luca smiled as well, pleased on the better mood that he had put his friend in.

The next second happened fast. The second after happened just as fast, but both parties rewound it in their heads so many times it was like it lasted hours. Both stared, shocked and wide eyed at the other. The most alarming thing, was Sebastian wasn't smiling.

"Oh my god…" the Inkling muttered. He slowly pulled himself away from Luca. "I-I-I di-didn't mean to. I just…yo-o-ou were…and I…" Luca was silent as he stared forward, still processing the event. It had in fact happened. His friend's reaction was no doubt proof of it.

Sebastian had kissed Luca.

It was barely more than a peck but judging by the look on Sebastian's face you'd think he had stabbed the hybrid. Tears rained down his cheeks and his mouth was bent into a hard frown as he stood to his feet. He took slow shaky steps back, shaking his head and muttering to himself and Luca.

"I'm sorry…" he whispered, the words snapping Luca out of his daze. Luca jumped to his feet as Sebastian turned and took a few steps away from hybrid. Luca wanted to call out, to stop his friend from leaving, but what could he say exactly? What would he say? He paused, and in that second, Sebastian super jumped far into the distance. Luca watched his ink trail extend into the sky before dissolving into nothing.

For a while, Luca just stood there, staring at where his friend had been moments prior. He had kissed him. _Kissed_ him. Luca wasn't against homosexuals, he just wasn't one himself. Right? He had never really thought about his sexuality in detail. Inklings and Octolings usually don't even think of relationships or see any major differences in sex until they take their form. By then he had met Senia and she put the seed of heterosexuality in him.

But he had to have liked girls. He was sure he had fallen for Senia the first time he saw her. He was definitely straight. So why did the thought of telling Sebastian that feel so wrong? Maybe it was the implications that came with it. 'Sorry buddy, but I can't return your feelings because I'm dating your sister. Really sorry about that'. Luca ran both of his hands over his tentacles and let out a frustrated groan. He wanted to comfort Sebastian but he had no idea how. He never had to 'let someone down gently' before. Especially someone who would benefit greatly from the relationship. If he had stopped him from running off he would probably just stand there dumbfound and send some kind of wrong message.

Luca plopped on the ground, suddenly very tired and very uncomfortable with the beginnings of a headache. Line after line of what he could possible say came through his head only to be thrown out mere moments later. His brows were furrowed in deep thought as he racked his brain for answers. He didn't know how long he sat there, but the sun was now far beneath the skyline. He was still deep in his thoughts when a voice interrupted him.

"You seemed troubled my friend." Luca looked up at the Octoling. That was the most information he drew from the guy before returning his sights forward. He honestly didn't want more people in his life at the moment. One of the few people he did have just made his relationship with another much more difficult. "Mind if I take a seat?" Luca didn't say anything so the man sat himself down with an exaggerated groan. It was while the older male was moving that Luca noticed how he kept his left hand in his pocket the whole time.

"Let me guess…family problems?" Luca was silent. "Grades in school didn't come out like you wanted?" silence. "Love triangle?" Luca flinched and the person chuckled, roughly patting him on the back, much to the hybrid's displeasure. "Yeah those things are a pain. Did the drama just start now?" Luca muscled up the will to nod to the stranger.

"Well, my word of advice, don't make any rash decisions right away. Make all the details sort out before doing something you regret. You're gonna have to think really hard on it. Later. As for right now, you need to get your mind off it. A bit of a distraction." Luca finally looked over to the Octoling. Sea green eyes locked with his as a small smirk graced his face. The Octoling held out his right hand to Luca. Luca eyed it closely before glancing at the other one still in his pocket. "We don't have to do it today of course. It is getting late, but we could get back together at a later date and do something fun, no strings attached." Luca looked over the limb before looking at its owner. Not entirely sure why himself, he reached forward and shook the Octoling's hand. The Octoling grew a large smile.

"I don't think I caught your name, new friend. Mind telling me what it is?"

"Luca. My name's Luca." Still shaking his hand, the Octoling grew a brighter smile.

"Luca. Awesome name. Can't wait to show you all the great places around for distractions. Oh crap, let me introduce my self." The Octoling released Luca's hand and did a low bow, Luca still trying to catch a glimpse of his left hand..

"My name is Dao, and I think this is the start of something beautiful."

* * *

 **Why hello there. It's been awhile. And for that, I'm sorry.**

 **But better late than never right? A somewhat longer chapter to make up for my sins. No? Okay...**

 **So a lot of events happened in this one, huh? Apalo is still seeing Octavio's hallucinations he was seeing back in Octo Colors, tho I don't believe I stated explicitly that's who he was seeing. And what does he mean by he killed him?**

 **Speaking of the older Octoling, his relationship with Inkay seems more strained now as the Inkling's distrust for him seems to have bubbled back up to the surface.**

 **Will Callie be okay?**

 **Will Sebastian be okay?**

 **How will Senia take the kiss?**

 **What does Dao have planned for Luca?**

 **So many questions. Let your mind run free with possibilities. Though I'm sure everything will turn out wonderful.**

 **I'd say I'll try to get the next chapter up ASAP but I don't know how trustworthy I am after that last sentence. *evil smile***

 **Thanks to all who're still reading and a special thank to those who reviewed previous chapters. I truly appreciate all of them.** **Until next time.**

 **Astalabyebye,**

 **Bang**


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